12 STrii|K> IN INMIAN KIUKK n.ANTS. 



imiigo blue, ovou to the iimerinost layers, while v. llohnol notes 

 only a yellow coloration, v. Hohnel', however, employed dilute 

 sulphuric acid, which does not give a blue coloration. 



.Microscopic structure. The technical fibres consist only of 

 bast filjres. These are up to (i nun. long. 14-16^ (according to v. 

 Hohnel mostly 21^) broad, and are either blunt, sometimes with 

 a very .short lobe near the entl, or else pointed, the walls at the 

 ends being in both cases very strongly thickened. The lumen in 

 one and the same fibre shows very great variation in diameter, in 

 .some parts it is broad, in other parts narrow, and in still other parts 

 disappears entirely. Fre(|uently it is alternately broad and 

 narrow. In cro.ss-section the filnes are seen to be closely united, 

 and are either polygonal with sharp angles and straight sides or 

 rounded polygonal with sharp angles and oval, the lumen in the 

 first case being usually small, often a mere point, in the latter case 

 large and oval. Cross-sections examined in water show a broad, 

 distinct outer lamella, but concentric rings are evident only in 

 sojue of the angular forms and in those but indistinctly." 



Most of the fibre produced in India is used locally, and is 

 mainly employed in making the string and cord necessary for agri- 

 cultural operations. Coarse sack cloth and canvas are made from 

 it in .some parts as well as fishing nets and pa])('i-. The exj)ort 

 trade in this article is comparatively recent as Uovlc" in IS.'jo 

 stated ■ Though so generally cultivated, its fibre is liardlv if at 

 all known as a distinct article of commerce." It has since, however, 

 been introduced into the English market under the name of 

 Gambo hemp, fibre of the Roselle and jute of Madras. It also 

 occurs as an admixture to satin and other Indian fibres. It is 

 stated that sfjnio vearsago this fibre was put on the Knglisli nnirkct 

 under the iiiimc nf Himlipatam jute' and ((iniinjiiidcd a good 

 price; ill to £|2-I(t a ton. According to Watt' tlic (Icinaiid 

 for Bindi])atam jute is steadily increasing, tiic cxpoit value in 



I Milrrinko/iir der /rrhiiiirli riitirnilrtrM fiitrrntiifi'f. Wien. 2, Aiitl. \fi<it, II. 



» llnylc, nr lihnmt /ilantM nf Inilia, Ih;:,, |., 2.".7. 



» lijin-vlluriit Uilgrr, I'.tO.H, Nii. •>. 



• Willi, I. r. 



