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and yai-n — woven into goods, dyed in a variety of colours. They 

 would also observe some specimens of Kuracbee bemp, American 

 black bemp, flax, and jute, wbich bad been treated in tbe same 

 way; and some bemp, wbicb be styled cottonised, for spinning, like 

 cotton. This was much used as a substitute for cotton during tbe 

 horrible American war. 



China-grass, now well knownin commerce, was a member of tbe 

 urtica family. Urtica nivea of Wildenow (differing widely from tbe 

 common stinging nettle, urtica lu-ens), the Callooee bemp, Kalmoi 

 or Ramie of Sumatra, though tbe fibre was very similar, and for all 

 practical purposes was identical, was yet a distinct species of Hificff, 

 obtained from tbe urtica utilis, urtica tenacissima of Dr. Roxburgh, 

 and was now making tbe tour of the world. Thanks to tbe active 

 age in wbicb we lived, and the inventive genius of man, we should 

 soon bear of some farther rapid strides in the improved treatment 

 of cotton and this wonderful fibre. 



A French journalist, in 1869, claimed tbe credit of introducing 

 to European notice L'Ortie de la Chine, or tbe White Nettle of 

 China, for one Father Voisin, a French missionary to tbe Chinese 

 Empire, as tbe first person who made discovery of its practical 

 utility, and presented it to tbe attention of the Societe d'acclimata- 

 tion of Paris, 1844-5. It might be well to correct this impression. 

 It was known that tbe urtica nivea (Boehmeria niveaj bad been 

 utilised for centuries in tbe Indi;m and Chinese Empii'es, where it 

 was employed for its great strength and beauty — sti-engtb for fish- 

 ing nets; utility and beauty for wearing apparel. "Kankhura" 

 or " Ramy," of tbe Islands of Malay Peninsula, to wbicb was given 

 the name of tirtica tcnacigsima, was introduced in 1803, from 

 Bencoolen to Calcutta, where it was cultivated at tbe Botanical 

 Garden by Dr. Roxburgh, and a considerable quantity of this 

 species was brought to Great Britain by Captain Joseph Cotton, 

 Tbe Society for tbe Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and 

 Commerce, awarded a silver medal to Captain Cotton for its intro- 

 duction to their notice. The fibre was tested and pronounced of 

 pi-actical value, but fell into disuse for tbe want of proper api:)liances 

 for manipulating and preparing it for manufacturing purposes. 

 Cotton, too, at that time was plentiful and cheap, and the cost of 

 importing tbe fibre from India told against it. 



