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proiluci.ll by Mr. Death's recently invented machine, 

 whi(;h appears to be vastly superior to any Rhea 

 produceil by uieclianical means that had previously 

 come under my observation. "What this new machine 

 may do yet remaujs to be seen, but until it is shown 

 that any machine can produce the fibre without more 

 or less bruising 't, the trade will probably always 

 give tlie preference to filasse from steamed ribbons. 

 It is not alleged even on behalf of Mr. Death's new 

 machine tbat it can entirely remove all the resinous 

 matter from the fibre. The machine of Death and 

 Ellwood recently exhibited in Calcutta leaves about 

 15 per cent of foreign matter still adhering, to the 

 fibrp, possibly Mv. Death may have now succeeded in 

 reducing that percentage, but some still remains 

 which can only be removed by chemical treatment. 

 So that after all, whether machined or not, the 

 ultimate success of Rhea will depend on the complete- 

 ness of the process by which it is rendered fit for 

 the spinner. 



This subject has long occupied the close attention of 

 the distinguished French Chemist and Botanist, Pro- 

 fessor Fremy, whose scientific works have obtained 

 for him a European reputation. M. Fremy and his 

 associate M. Trbain have now brought their system 

 of de-feumming Rhea to great perfection. AVithin 

 the past three or four months irapoitant discoveries 

 have leen made respecting the chemical properties 

 of the glutinous matter of the Rhea plant, which 

 have enabled them to simplify and cheapen their 

 process very considerably. But a,s it is well known 

 that laboratory experiments, however successful, are 

 apt to dii-appoint when applied in practical operations 

 on a large scale, M. Frenij' and his associate have 

 established a Factory at Louviere, near Rouen, where 

 many tons of Rhea ribbons have been treated and 

 the filasse worked up into yarn, hi whioh form it is 

 agerly purchased by French manufacturers, who 

 /horoughly appreciate its valuable qualities. A regular 

 busitjfss has thus been created, which is only limited 

 by the very small supplies obtainable of the raw 

 material. In the meanwhile English manufacturers 

 are by no means indifferent at the appearance of a 

 staple that threatens to be a serious rival to silk and 

 flax, and ultimately, perhaps, even to cotton, and 

 before very long arrangements will doubtless be made 

 to carry out the Fremy-Urbain process in this country. 

 I recently visited the Factory at Souviers in company 

 with several gentlemen interested in the subject, and 

 for the first time the full details of the entire process 

 were explained, and we were enabled to verify by 

 personal observation every step in the treatment of 

 the ribbons. The result of our visit was thoroughly 

 satisfactory, we not only saw the filasse produced, 

 but some of it was carded and manufaetured into 

 yarn in our presence, we were also shown yarn dyed 

 in various colours which were remarkably brilliant, 

 some that bal been passed between hot steel rollers 

 were as glossy as the richest silk, plainly indicating 

 the high class of fabrics for which this fibre will be 

 cniploved. 



A manufaeturcr (Eugli-b) who had worked Ehea 

 into drps? tJiaterial, rem-irked to me recently tbat it 

 had onlv one serioURi diaadvant-ige, aJul that wa.-*, that 

 it Would never wear out. He had prc?onted his 

 H'ife with a dress of Khca fabric, it had been washed 

 Sereral times without in the least impairing its beauty. 

 "Oood," he said, "for the husbands, but bad for the 

 wivc.<i, nho would get tired of their dre.sse.s before 

 they could make them shabby," A^'hen in J'aris I 

 ■was shown foroe very handsome curtain.*; having the 

 appearance or heavy silk daraiisk, delightfully soft, 

 nnd rich nod pleasing in colour. I wa.s surprised to 

 hear that they were made of Rhea. 1-vxcellcnt results 

 have also been obtained with the same material in 

 the manufacture of damask table cloths, napkins, 

 bed linen, and such like fabrics indicating a wide 

 range of uses to which this fibri may be applied, so 

 tbat all fear of over-production may be dismis.sed for 

 a long tinie to come. But apart from European 

 demand, when it is remembered that thousands of 

 ton.s of China grass are annually manufaetured into 

 Jsbrivs iu Cbiuei, Hankow wpvrtiuif S,QW tou» per 



annum for local consumption, \t becomes a question 

 whether the same result will not follow in India, if 

 the cultivation of Rhea should be taken up on a 

 large scale, what an immense gain this would be to 

 the country in every way, and I d o not know any 

 reason why the Fremy-Urbain process of de-gumming 

 the Favier ribbons should not be as succes.sful, and 

 managed as easily in Bengal as at Louviers. I saw 

 nothing in the way of manipulation that Bengalee 

 women and childern could not do with these. 

 A superintendent with .some knowledge of chemi.stry, 

 and a man to look after the boiler would be necessary. 

 The chief requisite seems to be a plentiful supply of 

 soft water, and the means of getting rid of it; when 

 charged with colouring matter it becomes as black 

 as bottled stout. This la.st is a difficulty where the 

 water-supply is precious, and rivers may not be 

 contaminated. In preparing ribbons for the Fremy- 

 Urbain process, they may be greatly improved in 

 value by removing as much as possible of the outer 

 brown cuticle, this is effected by wiping th stems 

 with some pressure with a rough cloth, while hot 

 from the steaming chest. 



In China this has been done with so much success 

 that the ribbons thus prepared have yielded from 

 75 to 80 per cent of fine filasse. Ribbons not so 

 treated yield from 45 to 55 per cent, of filasse. This 

 means that freight has to be paid on at least 40 per 

 cent of useless material which might be saved 

 by the removal of the cuticle before decortication. 

 It will also probably cheapen the chemical treatment 

 by saving the expense of one boiling. "Whether the 

 extra cost of handling on the field will be less than 

 the percentage saved in carriage and freight, will, 

 of course, depend on circumstances of time and place. 

 Cheap labour and high freight would be in favour of 

 land -cleaning. Dear labour and low freights might 

 turn the scale the other way. Suppose 100 tons weight 

 of Favier ribbons ha%'e been obtained, and the filasse 

 contained therein amounts to 45 per cent, then- 

 Tons. 

 The weight of filasse produced will be ... 45 

 And the weight of the waste will be ... 55 



Total ... 100 



But if these same ribbons had been thoroughly 

 cleaned when removed from the steam chest, so that 

 when converted into filasse, the yield would be 75 

 per cent instead of 45 per cent, the actual weight 

 of fibre would not be increased, but the bulk of use- 

 less waste would be greatly reduced, thus — 



Tons. 



"Weight of filasse 45 



"Weight of waste ., ... 15 



Total ... 60 



Or a saving of 40 tons in every 100. It is obvious, how- 

 ever that the value of this deduction will depend on the 

 percentage of fibre in the ribbons, which may be greater 

 in China than in India, and may, in fact, vary in dif- 

 ferent parts of India, It having now been proved 

 that Bliea cin be converted into a highly remuotrative 

 (Staple for textile manufacture.*, there wjll .soon be 

 enquiry r.s to the best methods of cultivating the 

 plant, i'p to the present there has been a great 

 deal of talk about the subject, but scarcely anything 

 ha.s been done. Garden experiments are almost aa 

 unreliable for planters as Laboratory experiments arc 

 to the practical manufacturer. I am not aware that 

 any attempt has yet been made in India to grow 

 Rhen upon an extensive scdle elsewhere than on the 

 estates of the Glenrock Company in the .South-East 

 AVyiiand, where some -">0 acres are now fully p'anted. 

 Mr.'*. Montgomery has an estate at Kangra, where 

 the cultivation of iihea has been carried on for several 

 years, but I do not know to what extent, the pro- 

 duce, I believe, is locally consumed. In Algiers the 

 French have been growing the Rhea with consider- 

 able success, and alho in Egypt, and the earliest 

 information on the subject has been derived from 

 these sources, but their statistics do not seem to 

 apply in Southern India where the conditions are 

 itii ditfvrt'ut. TbertJ .is not, tlierfore, a great deal 



