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stems and that from the dry stems. The subsequent chemical 

 treatment may result in a greater or less disaggregation of the 

 original fibre, and materially influence its character. On all these 

 grounds it appears that the ramie brought into the market will, 

 under any circumstances, even with the most perfect methods of 

 cultivation and preparation, manifest considerable differences in 

 its quality and property — differences greater than is the case with 

 other fibres. As before explained, it is quite likely, that even from 

 the same plantation, some of the produce may be remarkable for 

 strength, but deficient in fineness and gloss ; another portion, fine 

 and glossy, but less strong ; another, by its roughness and hairiness, 

 approaching wool in its character. 



"Ultimately, this very range in the quality may prove an ad- 

 vantage ; but first, in the experimental stage, it is a decided dis- 

 advantage ; and it can be easily shown that this is, in itself, a 

 sufficient reason why it is impossible to expect that ramie should, 

 from the first command such high prices as its good qualities are 

 likely to ensure to it, after its cultivation and preparation have 

 become more developed. A high price of necessity restricts the 

 application of the fibre to the very finest purposes. Now, it is the 

 invariable characteristic of high-class manufacture to require perfect 

 uniformity in the quality of the material used in it. Not only must 

 each bale of fibre used for fine purposes be as nearly as possible 

 uniform in its quality, but it is likewise necessary to ensure the 

 steady supply of other bales as uniform, and of the very same 

 quality. It is an established fact, that in the case of any inequality 

 in the material, the whole quantity will sink almost to the value of 

 the lowest quality contained in the mixture, and that no high-class 

 expensive machinery will ever be established, unless there are 

 grounds for expecting that the quality of the raw material will be 

 uniformly maintained. In any other case, the fibre can only be 

 used for rougher purposes, and worked on simpler machinery, in 

 which such variations in quality are of no moment. 



" As before explained, there will be in the case of ramie even 

 greater difficulties than in the case of other fibres, in ensuring this 

 perfect equality in condition, as a considerable amount of variation 

 in the character of the fibre is unavoidably connected with 

 the very nature of the growth of the plant. It will require a perfect 

 knowledge of the nature of the plant, and of the fibre and its 

 working, and a perfect mutual understanding between the agri- 

 culturist growing it, the machinist cleaning it, and the manufacturer 

 spinning it. This can only be the slow result of time, and will only 

 have been attained when cultivation being more extended, the 

 trade conducted on a larger scale, it will be possible to carry out 

 a complete sub-division of the crop according to its various qualities, 

 and when the best practical uses of each quality will have been 

 ascertained. Moreover, in any case, even with the agricultural and 

 mechanical treatment, it is likely that only a certain part of the 

 crop will be suitable for fine uses, whilst a considerable proportion 

 will only be available for rougher purposes. So that, unless the 



