January i, 1884.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



457 



FIBRE AND FIBROUS MATERIALS : 



CutSA (Rheea) Grass; Alo:-: and other Fibres. 

 {Continued from poge 949, Vol. II, 1S82-3.) 



Recurring to the oousideration of the Favier 

 patent machine for rhea fibre, we must mention 

 that we should like to see an experiment tried 

 with rhea shoots, which Dr. Trimen can supply, 

 in Smith's patent machine which Messrs. John 

 Walker & Co. got out some time ago. It is 

 somewhat surprising that the Fi-ench inventor 

 has not claimed the Indian reward of £3,000 if 

 his machine is so great a success ; but it is sug- 

 gested tliat he may not have wanted to part with 

 his patent, being under the wrong impression that 

 tlie Indian Government made that a condition. At 

 the same time it is evident that F.wier's patent 

 has proved a success in Europe, and, according to 

 tlie following report in the " Journal of the Society 

 of Arts.'' it is likely to be a turning-point in the 

 industrial history of China grass fibre : — 



During the year 1S82, a development took place of the 

 interBst attachi'ij^ to the cultivation and use, in manu- 

 factured, of Ohiua grass, and, with repect to the supply 

 of the raw material, it has been estimated that the pro- 

 gress achieved in 1J>S"J was as much as had been done in that 

 direction during the whole of the fifteen' years immedi- 

 ately prcuediug. 



Aitcording to a detailed statement, published by the 

 Ctiiti'itt Blatt ftir Te.vtU'IitdustnCj the principLii feature of 

 the year Was the extension of cultivation in Europe, the 

 bulk jf the supply having been receiverl, previou.sly to 1882, 

 from C'liina and the adjacent islands, 



China grass has recently acquired a position of considerably 

 augmented importance as an industrial product. The sudden 

 advance of a textile substance, in the estimation of the manu- 

 facturing public, is not without precedent. Flax and cotton 

 had, il is remarked, a long period of quiet utilisation before 

 they became such important articles as they now are. The 

 discoveries which gave an unexpected ii.ipetus to their em- 

 ployment for industrial purposes were, it is stated, AVitney's 

 machine for treating cotton in the raw state, and the flax- 

 spinning machine of Philippe do Uirard. In the same way 

 China gras's owes its present greatly increased favour to the 

 Favier system of treating the fibre; the introduc.ion of this 

 process having been, in fact, a turning {loiut in its indust- 

 rial history. 



In Italy, JI. D'Humieres has been for several years making 

 expernnents in its culture, and he has receutl}' published the 

 fact that, with suit.able arrangements, a protit of H'i per 

 cent, may be made by the grower. Larger plautiitions have 

 now been organised in that country. Portugal has already 

 planted a million root.s; and Spain has al.so taken important 

 steps in the matter. The plantations in Algiers and Egypt 

 have, it would seem, been materially increased. In Java 

 companies have been formed to promote the culture ; and 

 it is stated that in various French colonies, as well as in 

 America, steps will shortly be taken to intfo<luce it. France 

 seems, however, to have taken the lead in the new move- 

 ment, and during 1882, several million roots were imported 

 for planting. In the southern departments, fields of China 

 grass are constantly becomingmore frequent. Favier's patent 

 is owned, it is stated, by a company entitle<l. La llamie 

 Frana<;ise, which is located at Avignon, and has established 

 nurseries in the departments of Yaucluse, Var, Koucbes- 

 du-Rhone, Oard, ic, occupying about seventy-five acres. 

 This company intends to sell plants to the agriculturists, 

 and to arrange for the purchase of th.^ yield. It will also 

 carry on, for its own account, the preparation of the fibre 

 and will be, therefore, able to offer it to the spinners ready 

 for them to operate upon it. 



The spinning of China grass is being developed upon a 

 scale proportionate to its extended cultivation. Before the 

 year 1880, it is stated that there were only two establish- 

 ment.i in Europe where China grass was spun, and it would 

 seem that these could only obtain their supplies from 

 59 



the London market. It is remarked that the establish- 

 ments referred to have, since then, materially extended the 

 scopo of their operations. Six others are said to be 

 now in working order, and, doubtless, others are in contem- 

 plation. 



In France, many trials have been made as to the em- 

 ployment of China grass in various branches of textile 

 manufacture, and from the successful results, it would seem 

 that an important consumption of the article is assured. 

 Its introduction in the trimming, hosiery, and cloth branches 

 has been well received. Some further modifications in the 

 spinning of the yarn and lower range of prices would, it 

 is said, place China grass in a prominent position as a text- 

 ile material. The Ramie Framjaise- Company exhibited 

 last year (at the Avignon Industrial Exhibition, and at the 

 Colonial Exhibition, at the Palais d'lndustrie in Paris) 

 specimens of dress goods, cloths, and other materials, either 

 entirely made of China grass, or into which it entered as 

 a component part. 



It is remarked, in conclusion, that the cause of the 

 leading position held by cotton is the low price of articles 

 made from it. A serious competition is not to be looked 

 tor, it is considered, on the part of flax, but it is sug- 

 gested that China grass, if its price is reduced, may be 

 found for certain purposes an important rival of cotton. 



AVe are surprised to find that no reference is made 

 in the above summary to the facts that Sir Titus 

 Salt, many years ago, mixed China grass with alpaca 

 wool in his manufactures and that in Bradford 

 wollen manufactories the substance is used to a con- 

 siderable extent. 



From M. Favier's French, pamphlet placed at our 

 disposal by Mr. Kay-Shuttleworth, we translate and 

 qiiote as follows* : — 



In August ItSl, the machine was publicly tested at 

 Avignon. Near it were arranged specimens of the brilli- 

 ant materials and remarkable ropes of all kinds aud ti:xtiit'<:.< 

 which by their fineness and resemblance to silk attractcl 

 the admiration of thti Jitatetcrs present. II. Favier believes 

 he has discovered the right principle on whicli the separ- 

 ation of the fibre from the wood and epidermis shouhl be 

 carried out. 



He began by introducing some dry stalks of China 

 grass into the mouth of tile machine. One rotatory move- 

 ment had .scarcely been given to the machine when at the 

 opposite extremity the stalk came out instantaneously — the 

 stalk cleaned and transformed into an open bast, having the 

 same length as the stalk antl looking as if it hail been 

 combed, .so well was tin; parallelism of the fibres preserved. 

 There was a total removal of the epidermis, a great strength 

 of resi.stance in the fibres, and no threads were broken. 

 One might s-'ck in vain among the debris that fell from 

 the body of the machine for any particle of wasted fibre. 

 There was nothing as waste but the wood and the bark- 

 which can both be utilized for their fertilizing properties. 



Ropes made of this fibre are much stronger than hemp 

 and also have the advantage of being lighter anil h.aving 

 a smaUer diameter. 



The China grass, which is reputed the best, can never be 

 used in its primitive state, as it must always first bo fle- 

 prived of i's gumminess; it would, therefore, says M. 

 Faner, be desirable to use a fibre that e:in be worked in 

 its raw state without any preparatory process. 



The maximum length of stalk attained in the south of 

 France is 2 metres or yards. 



The following particulars will show t'le rapidity with 

 which the machine works or what is dor.e in one minute : 



Medii'ui Stalka — yather sinall. — Fifteen are introduced into 

 the mouth in this short space of time. They issue giving 

 28 i/i-ammei (1 oz.) of fibre. This represents in the hour 

 68 by 12=1,(580 gr. (.3 lb. 5 oz ); in 12 hours— 1,6S0 by 12 

 =20,li:0 (20 kilograms) (4Ub.). 



inc;/e Stalks. — In one minute, with 12 stalks, we obtain 

 50 gr. of fibre, which m.ake.s in the hour S.OOO gr. (6g lb.), 

 in 12 hours 36 kilos. (7S lb.). These numbers multiplied 

 by 2, the minimum nutribcr of mouths to a machine, 

 give for the small stalks 40 kilo. (88 lb.) per day; for the 

 larger ones 72 kilo. (158^ lb.) per day. Say a daily avor- 



* Shice this was in tjpe, Mr. Shaw-Kennedy has .sent us 

 a pamphlet in English, a translation of SI, Favier's. — Gd, 



