OTHER VEGETABLE FIBRES. 4} 



parts of Afia ; yet I cannot difcover that the fibres of the bark 

 have ever been employed for any parpofe. It is cultivated in 

 fmall cjuantitles every where, oiv account of its narcotic qua- 

 lities. — The leaves of the mafe plant, and flowers of the female, 

 are the parts in mod general ufe. 



I have repeatedly applied lor the feeds of all plants reared "or in China, 

 in China, and other countries to the Eafiward of the Bay of 

 Bengal, as well as to almofl every other part of India we have 

 any communication with, for an account of the plants em- 

 ployed to fupply materials for clothes and cordage, and for 

 their feeds ; but could never learn that Cannabis was one of 

 Ihem ; nor were its feeds ever fent to me as fuch. 



No. 4. The great ftrenglh of this fubftance makes it a very Ejoo; very 

 defirable object. For a defcription and drawing of the tree ^^'JJ'jJ' ^^^° 

 I refer to thofe * which accompanied my letter to the Moft 

 Noble the Governor-General in Council, under date the 2d of 

 January, 1800. The fibres employed in thefe experiments 

 were taken from trees growing in the Botanic Garden at Cal- 

 cutta, where they thrive well. I could obferve, during the 

 trials made in breaking the cords of this fubftance, that they 

 were not fo elafiic as thofe of Coir, which will probably 

 render it lefs fit for cables, but belter for many other ufes. 

 Coir is certainly the very beft material yet known for cables, 

 on account of its great elafticiiy and firength. 



Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, Thefe four plants have already Other plants: 

 been figured and delcribed by me, in a memoir fent through 

 the Governor-General in Council, to the Hon. the Court of 

 Directors, in December, 1795. Since writing that paper, I 

 have learned, ihatyzm (Crotolaria Juncea) is almoft univerfally Theyj^w orcro- 

 employed, over the warmer parts of Afia, for cordage. Qn^^^"^'^ j""*^"* 

 the Malabar coafi:, I find it is generally named by the gentle- 

 men at Bon)bay after the province where reared. It is ufed in 

 thai place for lacing their cotton bales, on account of its great 

 firength. Samples of three forts, -viz. Malwan, Rajapore, 

 and Salfette, were fent to me, from them, by Dr. William 

 Hunter; and am induced to think, little or no maceration is 



* A former fet. No. 1179, fent in to Government on the 23d 

 ©f November, 1797, were not fo correft as could be wilhed, on 

 account of their having been taken from young trees, juft corning 

 jnto bloifom the iirft time, 



employed 



