ToL. I. Xo. 12. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



189 



,^^:!^ 



FOREST IXFLVEXCES. P.y 15. E. Feninw and 

 otlier.s. JiulUtin A'o. 7, Fure.-itnj Di pinion, U.S. Diimrtiuoit 

 of Agviculture. 



The (jiiestion of the prcsevvation of existing forests in 

 the West Iiitliaii Islands and of replanting portions of some 

 of these Colonies with trees lias often })een raised. The 

 islands have been visited by forest expert.s and, in the case 

 of Trinidad, a new forestry department has been instituted. 

 The general idea has been tliat the removal of forest att'ects 

 climate and rainfall iinfavouralily. Whether the many 

 writers on tliis question could furnish reliable and accurate 

 .scientific data for their oiiinions is open to cpiestion. 

 Climatic conditions arise from so many complex causes 

 that extreme caution is calleil for in drawing general 

 conclusions that changes in climate which may have taken 

 place at the same time as deforestation have actually been 

 caused by forest removal. 



The necessity of studying the que.stion on the basis of 

 accurate measurements and observations before arriving at 

 jH'emature conclusions is admirably laid down in the bulletin 

 before us, as well as the real (piestions to which answers should 

 be souglit as a result of such investigations. It is not so nrucli 

 the effects of fore.sts on the general climate which are impor- 

 tant as the local modifications in climatic conditions which 

 a forest area may produce. Agricultural jiroduction depends 

 not so much on the amount of rainfall as on its distribution 

 throughout the year. 



The main portion of the bulletin is taken up with a 

 systematic consitleraticiu of the meteorological observations 

 accumulated in Germany and elsewhere at forest stations, and 

 of the relation of forests to water supijlies. The author sums 

 up the iiKjuir^' as follows : — 



' We may summarise that the pf)sition of the forest as a 

 climatic factor is still uncertain, at least as to its practical 

 and (piantitative importance, but that its relation to water 

 and soil conditions is well established. As a climatic factor 

 it would apjiear that the forest nf the iilain is of more 

 importance than that of the mountains, where the more 

 potent influence of elevation obscures and reduces in signifi- 

 cance the influence of their cover ; as a regulator of water 

 conditions the forest of the mountain is the important 

 factor ; and since this influence makes itself felt far distant 

 from the location of the forest, the claim for attention of 

 Government activity and for statesmanlike policy with 

 reference to this factor of national welfare may be considered 

 as well founded. Every civiUted g'tneriimml iiiuU in time 

 oii'ii or control the fo7-est coiier of the mountains in order to 

 secure desirable loater conditions.' 



To all in the West Indies who take an interest in the 

 subject of forest influences we recommend this pamjihlet as 

 ■a guide to the kind of data which are recpiired, locally, for 

 the ultimate solution of the forest (question. 



CARRAPICHO, OR ARAMINA FIBRE. 



Inquiry was recently made of the IJepartmcut as to the 

 source of a fibre whicli iias.sed in Brazil under tlie name of 

 Ckrrapicho or Aramina fibre. As no specimens of the plant 

 were forwarded, and no reference was found in the 

 literature available to these names, incpiiry was made at the 

 Royal Garden.s, Kew, wheiice we were informed that the 

 fibre was yielded by Urena lobata, a jilaut of the Hibiscus 

 onlav ( }hdi'arcae), and a common weed throughout the tropics. 



Descrijition of the Plant. Urena lohata is an erect, 

 much branched shrub, l.'ft. to 4ft. high. The stems and 

 leaves have a white, thick, somewhat rough, liaii'y covering. 

 The flowers are pink. The plant is extremely variable in 

 size and sha[ie of its leaves. 



Distribution. The plant is commonly found in waste 

 ground, often near the sea, and in dry liill pastures. As* 

 alread3' stated, it has a very wide geograhical distribution 

 being found throughout tropical America, .Vfrica, Asia and 

 Australia. In the West Indies it is recorded from 8t. Kitt's, 

 Antigua, Dominica, St. Vincent, Grenada, Trinidad and also 

 Guiana. 



Local Xames. As might be expected from its extreme- 

 ly wide distriljution, the plant has a large number of local 

 names. Some of the more important of the.se are as follows: 

 ' Carrapicho', 'Aramina', ' Guaxima' (Brazil), 'Ban Ochra', or 

 'Bun Ochi-o' (India), 'Ake-ire' (Yoruba land. West Africa), 

 'Toja' (West Africa), ' Gt('.to grande' (St. Thome, West 

 Africa), 'Cousiiie Malioc' (Trinidad, Grenada), 'Grand- 

 cousin' and 'Cousin-rouge' (Guadeloupe), ' Grand-mahot- 

 cousin' (Jlartinicjue). 



Uses of the Fibre. The fibre j'ielded by Urena lubata 

 belongs to the jute type, but the .staple is short. 



The Yorubas and Haussas of West Africa employ it 

 for a variety of jmrposes, chiefly in housebuilding (Kew 

 Bulletin, 1891, p. 211)). In the German island of St.^Thome 

 it is used for pajier and cordage {Der I'rojieiijftanzen, Vol. 

 IV. p. .562). In India it atibrds sacking, twine, and is used 

 as a substitute for flax ( Dictionari/ of Economic Products 

 of India). 



The Consular Eejiort on the trade of Rio de .lanciro for 

 1S99 says, p. 23 :— 



'In the vegetable cla.ss are comprised many fibre produc- 

 ing plants which could probably be utilized in connexion with 

 mainxfactures. One of these is guaxima, the fibre of which 

 should bo useful for cordage, and may possibly comiiete with 

 jute as a material for the manufacture of sacli-cloth. The 

 threads are long and very strong and will resist tlie action 

 of water, the fibre being used by fishermen on the coast for 

 their nets, which last for year.s, particularly if .soaked in a, 

 tincture of aroeira bark. A quantity of the fibre has been 

 sent to Great Jjritain for experiments to be made as to its 

 qualities and adaptaliility to imlustrial )iuriioses. 



'It must be borne in mind that the ]ilant occurs only in 

 a wild state and in scattered quantities, so that, even .should 

 it be [iroved to jiossess the nece.ssary qualities, for industrial 

 manipulation, there will be still the question whether it can 

 Ije sj'stematically cultivated to yield regular marketable 

 sui)plie.s for manufacturing purposes at a cost whicli will 

 allow it to compete with jute.' 



Value of the Fibre. 'The Kew Bullet in for 1S90, p. 198 

 contains the following note on samples from West Africa: — 

 'The fibres are probably worth £18 to £20 per ton, and the 

 price is likely to be maintained at such a figure as winild 

 render a jute industry remunerative. It might be possible 

 to get the natives to clean these fibres by hand and sell the 

 produce in small lots locally.' 



