BTATE /LGRII I l PI R \l. SOCIETY. "_'l 1 



rapidly outgrows all weeds, and Boon Bhades the ground with a Luxuriant 

 foliage. 



The only comparativi ly great outlay is for the roots for the first planting, 

 but when it is considered! that this outlay has to be made but oner, and 

 that the roots are constantly produi Lng new ones for the further extension 



o( the plantations, the COSt is in reality small, when apportioned to cadi year. 



The first cutting can be made at the end of May, and the following ones 



at intervals of two months and a half. The maturity of the ramie is indi- 

 cated by a brownish color at the lower end of the stalk. 



The cutting is dune by a mower. The stalks are tied up in bundles of 



two or three hundred and carried to the stripping machine, through which 

 they are passed. This last operation Bhould he performed while the stalks 



are as fresh as possible, within a few days of cutting. 



The separation of the etude hark is now easily effected by a simple hand 

 power separator, which can he operated in the field or under a shed. 



It consists of two fluted crushers, which break the stalk, ami of a clean- 

 ing drum, which throws off the wood, leaving the separated crude hark to 

 fall below. Three or four hands can produce nearly half a ton crude hark 

 daily, and the refuse matter. Leaves and wood, constitute an excellent 

 manure. 



It must here be remarked that this cheap and efficient process entirely 

 removes the great difficulty hitherto existing. 



Until now, ramie, to be marketable, had to be brought to the same con- 

 dition as that given to it in China by hand scraping, a process too long and 

 costly, even when the same result was obtained by special machinery. 



The adaptation of a chemical process to the crude bark renders this 

 elaborate preparation, which is impracticable for the grower, entirely un- 

 necessary. All that is asked is that the crude bark be separated from the 

 wood in the manner above described. 



The market for this crude bark is now practically established and open 

 to every agriculturist. 



The crude bark of ramie has been estimated by various large manufac- 

 turers at five cents per pound, dried and baled. 



It may be interesting to ramie growers to know what is done with the 

 crude bark. 



The raw material is submitted to a disintegrating process, discovered 

 after long and careful study of the characteristics of ramie and other veg- 

 etable textiles. All the foreign matter is dissolved, incasing the fiber, 

 which then comes out perfectly divided, soft, silky, and ready for combing, 

 spinning, and dyeing. This manipulation reduces the weight of the crude 

 bark by from fifty to sixty per cent, and they give a product superior to 

 any fiber next to silk, with which it is sometimes compared. 



In China, Japan, and other eastern countries, ramie goods have been in 

 use for centuries. 



The slow and costly process of hand scraping has hitherto materially 

 interfered with the introduction of ramie in Europe and America. The 

 new process completely solves this problem in accordance with the econom- 

 ical and progressive spirit of our time. All that is asked from the planter 

 and farmer is simply the raw bark, and the manufacturer gets a beautiful, 

 brilliant, silky fiber ready for combing, spinning, and weaving. 



All the scientific authorities agree in pronouncing the ramie fiber supe- 

 rior in every way to flax and hemp, of which such large quantities, in the 

 shape of yarn, cloth, and linen, are imported from Europe at an immense 

 cost to the country. The cultivation of ramie will save this constant out- 

 going, and the American farmer, in the face of the continual decrease of 



