350 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



November 3, 1906^ 



VEGETABLE HAIR. 



The following account of this fibre, which is also 

 known as 'crin vegetal,' occurs in the Consular Rcjwrt 

 on Algeria for 1905; — • 



One of the most interesting, though perhaps least known, 

 industries of Algeria is the production of vegetahle hair. 

 This hair or fibre is made from the dwarf palm {Chamaeyops 

 humilis), which grows in large numbers along the coasts of 

 Algeria. A few years ago this plant was looked upon as 

 a useless weed : now it has been found to contain a most 

 useful fibre, and is largely sought after. This fibre is an 

 excellent substitute for horse-hair, and is in great demand 

 among upholsterens, mattress makers, harness maker.?, and 

 carriage builders on the Continent for the cheaper class of 

 goods. It is very much cheaper than horse-hair, and in many 

 cases replaces it with advantage, especially as it is not 

 affected or destroyed by insects. 



Factories for the production of this fibre have been set 

 up in many parts of Algeria, giving in each case employment 

 to hundreds of Arab.s, so nnich so that they have a saying 

 ' that the palm was made to give bread to the poor.' Whole 

 families — men, women, and children — may be seen cutting 

 the palm leaves, making them into bundles, and carrying them 

 sometimes many miles to the factories. Some of the 

 nomad Arabs of the south have made a trade of this palm 

 cutting, and coming up north they encamp near the factories. 



In the factories large numbers of natives are employed 

 passing the palm leaves through the shredding machines, 

 spreading the fibre out to dry, spinning it into ropes, and 

 making it into bales ready for export. 



The ropes are made in various qualities, according to the 

 thickness of the rope and the finenes.s of the fibre, the prices 

 varying from £4 15s. to £G a ton, quay Algiers. This is for 

 the fibre in its natural colour, but when dyed black it 

 increases about £i a ton. 



Originally, the manufacture into curled fibre was 

 primitive, being done wholly by hand, but of late years steam 

 machinery has separated the fibres. The machine is a species 

 of automatic combing machine of which some twenty are 

 now in use, the daily output per machine being about 

 7 tons. 



Some idea of the elasticity of the fibre can be gained by 

 the fact that a bale of crin cordage, weighing 220 lb., has 

 a volume of about 40 cubic feet. 



The industry should be of some interest to British 

 manufacturers of cording and combing machinery, and 

 especially to manufacturers of spinning machines, as at 

 present all the spinning and twisting is done by hand. 



Germany and Austria-Hungary are the princijial buyers 

 of this fibre, and it is utilized by the (jerman War Office, 

 being an article which, from sanitary, economical, and general 

 utility points of view, is suitable for barrack and hospital 

 beddins:. 



& Co., of St. Vincent, West Indies. In order to bring this 

 article to the attention of the public an exhibit is being made, 

 at which samples and literature are distributed. While the 

 value and utility of arrowroot has long received general 

 recognition, the price has been too high to admit of its use on 

 an extensive scale as an article of food, and consequently the 

 grocery trade has not regarded the article as possessing 

 great commercial importance. Costing, as it did, from 50c. to 

 60c. per lb., the field has been left largely to corn starch, 

 which has become a familiar article in every household. By 

 producing arrowroot in large quantities, however, and by 

 having it packed and exported direct from the plantations of 

 St. Vincent, 1 ). K. Porter A: Co. have been enabled to put the 

 product on the market to retail at 15c. a package, at which 

 price it is claimed to be much more economical than corn 

 starch, as a package of ' Three Rivers ' arrowroot goes about 

 half as far again as a package of corn starch. At least this 

 claim is made by the makers. Notwithstanding this reduc- 

 tion in the cost, which brings the article within the reach of 

 the ordinary grocery trade, the assurance is given that ' Three 

 Rivers' arrowroot is absolutely pure, guaranteed to contain 

 no adulterations, and to possess very high quality. The 

 article makes the most delicious custard.s, puddings, blanc- 

 mange, etc., and is far more nourishing than products usually 

 employed for these purposes. It is also used for thickening 

 soup.s, gravies, stews, etc., and makes the most delightful 

 tea cakes. In a book of forty recipes, [irepared by Miss 

 MacKirdy, Principal of the Gla.sgow (Scotland) School of 

 Cookery, it is shown that a large number of tasty dishes may 

 be prepared, the principal ingredient being 'Three Rivers' 

 arrowroot. In fact it can be used in every instance where 

 the housekeeper has been accustomed to employ corn starch, 

 with this difference, that arrowroot is more nourishing and 

 palatable, and at the prices at which it is now being placed 

 upon the Canadian market, more economical. 'Three Rivers' 

 arrowroot has been on the English market for manj- years 

 and in the trade circles of the mother country it has 

 become known for its high qualities by all who have traded 

 in the same. It was awarded gold and silver medals at the 

 Colonial Products Exhibition at Liverpool, in 1906, and 

 at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, 1905. It is now 

 being introduced to the Canadian public through the 

 wholesale and retail grocery trades, and w-e shall be surprised 

 if it does not meet with a large share of favour. 



ST. VINCENT ARROWROOT. 



An effort is being uuide to draw the attention of 

 Canadian consumers to the qualities of St. Vincent 

 arrowroot. The Maritimi' MercJiant, of October 4, 

 has the following article on the 'Three Rivers' bi-and, 

 to which reference was made in the Ai/riculfaral Xcjcs, 

 Vol. IV, p. 45:— 



Fred T. deAVolfe .t Co., of Halifax, are introducing to 

 the wholesale trade of Canada a new article to this country, 

 viz., 'Three Itivers" arrowroot, manufactured by J'. K. Porter 



FOREST PRODUCTS OF BRITISH GUIANA. 



The Buori' of Trwlc Journal has the following 

 review of the seventeenth Annual Report of the Council 

 of the Institute of Mines and Forests of British 

 CJuiana : — 



The total forest products of the colony exported during 

 the year ended .June 30 last only amounted to !?354,347, 

 a fact which, the report observes, does not say much for the 

 energy or the enterprise of its inhabitants, when the enormous 

 extent of virgin forests which it posses.ses is taken into con- 

 sideration The chief forest product is balata, the export of 

 which in 19^15-0 amounted to 517,335 th. valued at .'<181, 848,. 

 compared with 493,067 lb., valued at .$176,844, in 1904-5. 

 The shipment of rubber, 3,822 ft)., was more than double 

 that of the jirL-ceding year. Greenheart and mora to the 

 value of .^1 14,704 were exported as against §108,506. 

 The other experts were : ordinary lumber, 20,844 feet ;. 

 firewood, 5,326 tons : shingles, 1,748,800 ; wallaba and hard- 

 Wood posts, 4,591 : charcoal, 63,930 bags ; locust and other 

 gums, 10,690 Wi., and railwaj- sleepers, 2,000. 



