214 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
I am strongly inclined to think that the result will prove you right ; 
for I believe it will be found that the production of this curious and now 
very useful vegetable fibre is not confined to one plant, but is certainly 
yielded by two Palms at least. At all events I am prepared to prove 
that there are two distinct kinds of Piassaba known in commerce, dif- 
fering so widely in quality that one now sells for £20 to £30 per ton, 
whilst the other realizes not less than £45. I hope soon to send speci- 
mens of both to the Museum of Economic Botany. 
It is still stronger evidence in favour of my opinion, that these two 
qualities do not come from one locality, but the very fine kind comes 
from (the Rio Negro by way of) Para, and the inferior one from Ceara. 
There is too little difference in these two places to warrant the suppo- 
sition that a mere change of habitat can be the cause ; and as the trees 
are not cultivated in either district, it cannot result from culture; the 
cause therefore will in all probability be as I have suggested. 
> At present the consumption of Piassaba is very considerable. I can- 
| not exactly ascertain the quantity imported, but it is certainly over 
2000 tons; the coarser kind (Ceará) is used for street brooms and 
similar rough cleaning implements, but the fine kind (Pará) is extensively 
employed in the formation of brushes used in the cloth factories, and 
when dyed black is largely mixed with bristles and used in the manu- 
facture of cheap clothes-brushes, and even hair-brushes, etc. 
Whether Mr. Wallace has truly described the Palm from which he 
saw the Piassaba taken, is another question, and can only be decided by 
à competent botanical authority, after an examination of the plant ; but 
his powers of observation are considerable, and have been well trained, 
and his opinion is entitled to that respect which you so gracefully ac- 
corded. Yours truly, 
June 11, 1855. 
T. C. ARCHER. 
- 
Sarsaparilla. Extract of a Letter from Mr. Spruce, dated Rio Negro, 
February 5, 1855. 
_ Sarsaparilla is growing scarce and difficult to obtain on these rivers, 
and is now found only at the head-waters of some of the tributaries of 
it seems to have been all uprooted. Those who go to gather it must 
ae four or six months in the forest, and endure all sorts of priva- 
