EAMIE. 



cured in the swath or p:avel Hke hemp, and care must be exercised to 

 avoid heating or molding. 



PREPARATION OF FIBER, 



In Asia, the bark, inchiding the fiber, is stripped from tlie stalk 

 immediately after it is cut. The tliin outer skhi, wliicli clings 

 tenaciously, and the green pulj) are scraped from the fiber by drawing 

 the fresh green strips of bark between a bamboo thmible and a blunt 

 knife held hi the hand. The strips of bark with the fiber are called 

 "ramie ribbons." This term has also been applied to the fiber 

 decorticated by machines. The hand-cleaned fiber free from the 

 bark and pulp is called "Cldna grass," and in this form it is baled 

 and exported. 



DE GUMMING AND COMBING. 



In order to be spun into fine yarns by machinery, ramie must be 

 degummed and combed. The degumming is a chemical process, 

 removing the gums and leaving the fiber soft. After being dried 

 the degummed fiber is put through a series of drawing machines to 

 separate and straighten the individual fibers and then through a 

 combing machine to remove the short fibers or "noils," leaving the 

 clean, straight, long fiber, or filasse (called "tops"). Both tops and 

 noils are spun, the tops making the finest and strongest yarns. The 

 degumming and combing processes are carried on at the mills and 

 not by the grower or producer of the fiber. 



YIELD. 



The yield of ramie stalks and the percentage of fiber vary widely 

 under difierent conditions. The yield of stalks usually increases up 

 to the fourth year. The estimates showTi in Table II, based on 

 numerous experiments in France, are suggested as an aid in estimat- 

 ing the probable output under favorable concUtions in this country. 



Table II. — Estimated yield per acre {in pounds) of ramie stalks and fiber. 



A series of statements of eight difierent authorities as to the yield 

 of raw fiber from two annual cuttings in experimental plantings 

 ranges from 500 to 2,800 pounds, with an average of 1,293 pounds. 

 The \neld of dry fiber is 3 to 5 per cent of the weight of the green 



[Cir. 103] 



