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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



flax has been sown sparsely ; consequently the plant has 

 thrown out abundance of lateral branches, and pro- 

 duced a first-class seed for oil. Indeed, Indian linseed 

 rules the market here. In spite of many failures, and 

 of much partial success, there is no ground for believing 

 that flax of good quality may not be grown in many 

 parts of India when once cultivated with that end in 

 view. That flax is an exhaustive crop there is no 

 reason to doubt. It requires much of the alkalies, 

 potash, and soda for its full development ; but 

 where these are abundantly present, as in the great 

 alluvial soil of India, the mechanical texture of 

 the soil is of less moment than suitability of climate. 

 In Older to produce good fibre it is essential that the 

 seed should be sown thickly, so as to cover the ground. 

 Thus the deposition of excessive ligneous matter is 

 presented. In India flax is a winter crop; in the 

 northern parts it is sown in October and Novem- 

 ber, arriving at maturity about the beginning of April. 

 With respect to seed, successful culture would seem 

 to depend much upon frequent change. This certainly 

 is the case with us in Ireland and England, resort being 

 had to various parts of the Continent for the purpose. 

 On a hasty examination of the subject, we should sup- 

 pose a similar importation necessary for India ; but 

 when we reflect upon the varieties of soil and climate, 

 no such necessity exists beyond a frequent interchange 

 of seed between the various districts. We must, how- 

 ever, admit that certain experiments which have been 

 made in India with imported seed, have furnished 

 results in agreement with our European notions. A 

 better fibre has been the consequence. In the beginning 

 of this century, Dr. Roxburgh, under orders from the 

 Court of Directors, instituted a number of experiments 

 on the growth of diffierent plants, and on the prepara- 

 tion of their fibres. The results of these experiments 

 were then, as now, appropriately brought under the 

 notice of the Society of Arts. Since his time, although 

 numerous experiments have been made, we have not 

 obtained many fresh results of practical importance. 



Fibres from exogens, from their superiority, occupy 

 the first place. These may be divided into those which, 

 from their strength, flexibility, and other practical 

 qualities, are fitted for spinning and manufacturing pur- 

 poses. Of fibres belonging to this class, flax deservedly 

 occupies the foremost place. Next to flax stands the 

 JtJiea, or " China grass" fibre. Thirdly, we have the 

 Neilgherry nettle, called also vegetable wool. Fourthly, 

 the Mudar {Calotropis gigantea), and, lastly, the 

 Bedolee sutta, or vegetable silk from Assam. 



In the next division may be placed a selection of 

 fibres tit for spinning and manufacturing purposes of a 

 certain kind, but possessed of such inferior lasting 

 qualities that they cannot be legitimately employed for 

 purposes likely to subject them to much wear and tear, 

 or to the action of water in the ordinary operation of 

 washing. This class of fibres fulfil many important 

 uses, but when either of them, on account of their 

 cheapness, are surreptitiously used in cases which de- 

 mand the superior qualities of the first group, they 

 may then be fairly said to occupy the place of adulte- 



rants. To this class belongs the well-known jute of 

 commerce. Secondly, the Bariala (Sida rhoinhoklea) 

 of Assam and Bengal; and, thirdly, the Ambaree {Hi- 

 biscus cannahinus) of Western India. 



In the second group were placed those fibres which 

 are chiefly useful for the manufacture of cordage, 

 twine, &c., but which may be, and are occasionally, 

 used for the purposes to which the three fibres 

 last mentioned are suited. At the head of 

 this class stands the true hemp {Canna- 

 bis sativa); then, ^ud. we have Sunn {Crotalaria 

 juncea) ; 3rdly, the Dhunchee {Sesbania aculeata) of 

 Bengal ; and 4thly and lastly, the Jetee {Marsdenia 

 tenacissima), a fibre possessed of certain qualities 

 which may eventually entitle it to a higher place. And 

 the same remark applies to hemp, which, after certain 

 manipulations, has been occasionally brought into a 

 state of fineness and flexibility nearly equal to that of 

 good flax. 



We now come to the fibres furnished by Endogens. 

 Of these there are two divisions. In the first we have 

 various white fibres of varying qualities, furnished 

 almost without exception by the leaves of difi'erent 

 plants; and in the second we have dark-coloured 

 fibrous substances of a rough or bristle-like nature. 

 With respect to the 1st division : — No rigid separa- 

 tion of these, in accordance with the purposes for which 

 they are suited, can be efi'ected ; for we find that the 

 fibres which at one time are only capable of being em- 

 ployed for the standing rigging of ships, or for the for- 

 mation of cordage or twine, will at another be found of 

 fineness sufficient to permit of employment for spin- 

 ning into fabrics of a certain kind ; for instance, for 

 women's dresses, and for imitations of horse-hair cloth, 

 &c. The finest fibre in this group is undoubtedly that 

 of the pine-apple {Ananassa sativa) ; next in order of 

 importance stands the moorva {Sanseviera Zeylanica); 

 then come the agaves, such as Agave ajnericana and 

 A, vivapara, the last now called Fourcroya gigantea. 

 Fourthly, we have the yucca and Adam's needle; and 

 lastly, the plantain. The so-called Manilla hemp and 

 New Zealand flax may also be referred to. 



In the 2nd division of Endogens we have: — 1st, Coirj 

 2nd, the bristle-like fibres from the Ejoo palm ; 3rd, 

 rough coarse fibres from the shoots of the Pandanus ; 

 4th, similar ones from the Chamaerops Ritchiana • 

 and 5thly, from the Moonj of Sind. 



The next important fibre is the Rhea of Assam and 

 other parts of India. Although it cannot yet be called 

 an article of commerce, the fibre from this and 

 other plants of the nettle species will doubtless ere 

 long occupy a place second only to that of flax. 

 Another plant to which prominent attention is 

 drawn as afibrding a fibre of great strength was the 

 Urtica heterophylla, of Roxburgh, or Neilgherry 

 nettle. The fibre is so similar to wool when crumpled 

 up, that even merchants from a casual glance have not 

 detected the difference, hence the common name of 

 vegetable wool by which the plant is known. Its 

 likeness to wool is well brought out by the microscope, 

 which indicates considerably greater asperities than the 



