BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 25 
JuTg,— Fibre of Corchorus capsularis. 
Time was when Hemp and Flax yielded almost, if not altogether, the 
only vegetable fibre largely manufactured in Great Britain into cloth, 
cordage, &e. It would be interesting to give a list of the various 
kinds that are now in use, and still more interesting to speculate on 
the numerous kinds which may yet be added to that list from various 
parts of the world, the introduction of which does not appear in any 
way to diminish the consumption of the original kinds, Hemp and 
Flax. A few of these we shall at present take occasion to mention. 
One compartment of a glazed case in the Botanical Museum is occu- 
pied ‘by specimens of an exceedingly long, glossy, Indian fibre, named 
* Jute,” together with a very rudely prepared native fabric called 
gunny (rice) bag, and other specimens, from the Heathfield factory, at 
Dundee, to the proprietors of which we are indebted for these samples. 
They came, accompanied by a note, stating that “ten years ago the 
use of this fibre was unknown in Europe; but that now it is imported 
to Great Britain to the pecuniary amount of 300,0007. annually!” A 
dried specimen of the plant itself is placed with the above sample. 
This was raised in our stove from seeds sent by the same gentle- 
men, and is the Corchorus capsularis of Willdenow ; and we shall take 
an opportunity some day of publishing a figure with further particulars 
in our Journal. This Corchorus has nothing to do with the favourite 
Japanese yellow-flowered shrub, incorrectly called Corchorus in our 
gardens, (one of the Rosacee), but belongs to the natural family 
of Tiliacee, the various genera and species of which abound in useful 
fibre, from the gigantic Lime-tree (Zilia) to the herbaceous annual here 
noticed. 
CHINESE Grass CLOTH. 
Under this name we have received from Mr. Joseph Woods, Junr., a 
very beautiful fabric manufactured in China, first imported under the 
form of handkerchiefs and more lately to a considerable extent, as 
Ber to any other kind of fabric for shirts. By the kind help of 
and Sir George Staunton, we think it may be safely as- 
d iR "e * Chinese Grass” is the fibre of Boehmeria nivea 
VOL. I. E 
