90 



the nature and properties of the vegetable productions, such as few 

 have enjoyed ; and with that promptitude and kindness which ever 

 mark his character, especially when he is engaged in furthering the 

 cause of science. General Hardwicke immediately transmitted the 

 following reply, which is extracted verbatim from his letter. 



" I am very glad that it is in my power to answer your inquiries 

 about the Plant which produces the substance known under the name 

 of Rice Paper. It has very often interested me, and gratified my 

 curiosity, to remark to how many useful purposes it is applied by the 

 natives of India. You will find a drawing of the species which 

 produces it in my volumes of Indian plants, among the PapilionacecE ; 

 it is the Mhdiynomene paludosa of Roxburgh. It grows abundantly 

 in the marshy plains of Bengal, and on the borders of Jeels or extensive 

 lakes, in every province between Calcutta and Hurdwar. The plant 

 is perennial, of straggling low growth, and seldom exceeds a diameter 

 of two inches and a half in the stem. It is brought to the Calcutta 

 bazaars in great quantities in a green state ; and the thickest stems 

 are cut into lamina?, from which the natives form artificial flowers and 

 various fancy ornaments to decorate their shrines at Hindoo festivals. 

 The Indians make hats of rice paper, by cementing together as many 

 leaves as will produce the requisite thickness : in this way any kind 

 of shape may be formed ; and when covered with silk or cloth, the 

 hats are strong and inconceivably light. It is an article of great use 

 to fishermen ; it forms floats of the best description to their exten- 

 sive nets. The slender stems of the plant are bundled into fascines 

 about three feet long ; and with one of these under his arm does ever^ 

 fisherman go out to his daily occupation. With his net on his shoulders, 

 he proceeds to work without a boat, and stretches it in the deepest 

 and most extensive lakes, supported with this buoyant faggot. 



" You must observe that the cutting of this material into leaves, 

 or laminae, is not performed by transverse sections of the stem, but 

 made vertically round the stem. The most perfect stems are selected 

 for this purpose ; but I believe few are found sufficiently free from 

 knots to produce a cutting of more than nine or ten inches in length. 



" You make use of the term, pith, and call the laminae ' simply the 

 pith of the plant ;' then you must consider the whole stalk of the 

 plant as pith, for the bark is so thin and tender that you may scratch 



