1r 



y^t^Uf^CTUll^S FHOM NETTV?^ FIBRES. \65 



I^amples qF c/^a^se paper, prepared frofn the rough ref^s^ ^ 



fibres. 

 ^ ►Samples of the coarsp fibres bleached white. Jtt|e A^nit 



Samples of a co^/se substance reseml^liog cotton prepare^ 

 from the bleached coarse fibres. 



Samples of white paper prepared by him fr^m thCilastw 

 mentioned &ubs|ance. .;. 



Mf, Smitii*^ Process for preparing various Articles from 

 - '^* '^^ Netties. 



The kind 0f nettle capable of beinjj; manufactured into The kind of 

 cloth, &c., it is scarcely necessary to san^is that whieh io-^ 

 general is denominated the stinging 'nettle. The most 

 valuable sort, which many years practical experience buBf- Best sort, 

 furnished me with a knowledge of, in regard to length, sup-j, ^ y^tk 



pleness, fineness of the lint, brittlenesa of the reed, .which JfeHB|| 

 dresses most freely, with less waste of fibre^ and yields the ^^^^P' 

 greatest' produce of long and fine strong harl, I have found 

 growing in th^ bottom qf ditches ^impng briars, and, in 

 shaded valleys, Nvhere the soil bai bee^a blue day or stropg * 

 loam, but from which situations I have selected spme which 

 have measured more than twelve feet in height, and up- 

 wards of two inches in circumference. Plants growing iq, '^ 

 the' situations above. despribed are in general from five to *Sfe 

 nine feet in height, and those growing in patches on a good *" ^^ 



sipil, stiMi^ingthicIs, and in a favourable aspect, will average 

 in height abovU five feet and a hajf, will work kindly, and > 1 



tlje stelftp are thi<;ivly clothed with lint. Thos^ ttiat grow Worst nettles, 

 in poorer soils, and iu less favour^)L|le situations, with rough 

 and \v9p4y stems, and have mapy lat,er|»l branches, rua ^ 

 pjuiah to §eed, are stubborn, and y^jrjt less kindly; tiiey '^ ' ^jp^j^ 

 prodijce lint more coarse, harsh, and thjn. In every situa- Marks of th« 

 lion gnd ^l^^rent soil I have expprieqc^ the m^^ pjoduc-^'-'**' 

 ^ft.OpttJp» .t9 be those which haye the smoothest and a^Qft 

 coDpave tubes, the largest joints, the fewest leaves, and 

 which produce the le^st quantity of fe^d. s. 



In gathering thpoi, as they are perennial plants, I have They should 

 pri^erred the modje of cutting them dov«» ipsteacj of pulling ^^ ^ut. 

 them up by the roots. This i recommend to be the prac- 

 tice, with a view to pbtain a second propvrherjj ibesitifutions 



will ^ 



