108 AGRICULTUEAL REPORT. 



from Calcutta are mainly of the C. juncca ; from Madras and Bengal, H. can- 

 nahlnus mainly, and the western shores of India. The flowers of the latter 

 are large, of a sulphur yellow, with a brown centre, having a resemblance to 

 those of the mallow, the hollyhock, and the cotton plant. Its fibres are some- 

 times five or six feet in length. 



The sunn is a leguminous plant which bears a close general resemblance 

 to the Spanish broom, with leaves usually from four to eight feet, and often 

 attaining ten to twelve feet in height. 



It rer^uires a rich upland soil, without clay ; sown in June, and cut in 

 August and September ; sometimes sown in October and cut in April. The 

 yield is from three to ten hundred Aveight. It is steeped, and then beaten and 

 washed in water. Twenty years ago, in England,- it sold at c£18 per ton when 

 Petersburg hemp was worth .£38, Indian brown hemp d£20, and jute c£12. 

 Ten years since the prices were : Petersburg, jCGO ; Indian brown, 6240 ; sunn, 

 deSO ; jute, ^623. 



MANILLA. 



The Manilla "hemp," which figures so largely in commercial tables, is a 

 species of wild plantain, Mma texllis, grown mainly in the Philippine islands. 

 It is very durable, and lighter and cheaper than Russian hemp. In 1862 more 

 than ten thousand tons were imported into this country at an average cost of 

 $104 per ton. The natives find in its preparation a source of comfort and 

 comparative wealth. All of the plantain and banana tribe abound in fibre, 

 which is obtained from the leaves by scraping away the pulp, washed, and 

 boiled in an alkaline lye. 



The Sisal hemp, a fibre somewhat resembling Manilla, is a cheap product, 

 and is an aloe which grows wild in Yucatan. 



CHINESE GRASS CLOTH. 



The fibre of JJrtica nivea, (or BaiJnneria nivea,) called Rheea in the com- 

 merce of the east, is stronger than common hemp. It belongs to the branch 

 of the nettle family known as " stingless." It is, rapidly propagated by part- 

 ing the roots, when numerous shoots are thrown up, which may be succes- 

 sively cut down, and three crops obtained, the last of much finer fibre than the 

 othera. Beautiful silk-like cloth is manufactured from it. It is so fine as to 

 rival the best specimens of flax. There are diflerent varieties of these nettles, 

 known by different names, in various portions of southern and eastern Asia, 

 which are furnishing increasing quantities of fibre for export. 



The New Zealand flax, one of the liliaceous plants, Phormium tenax, a flag- 

 like grass, yielding twice the amount of strong fibre as flax, is a common article 

 of commerce. The leaves are perennial, from five to seven feet in length, 

 sword-shaped. They are cut, macerated in water, and passed under a weighted 

 roller. 



COIR AND OTHER FIBRES, 



This name is prominent in the commerce in fibres. It is from the husk of 

 the cocoa-nut, or Cocos riucifera, and is extensively used for matting, coarse 

 sail cloth, and a light and elastic description of cordage. 



The pine apple tribe affords fibre from its long, thorny-edged leaves, which 

 is woven into the finest fabrics and twisted into fishing lines. One variety is 

 used in the West India islands for making fences for fields. It is much used 

 for fishing nets, and as cordage, is superior for holding anchors. In the Philip- 

 pine islands there is wrought a variety so fine as scarcely to be visible, from 

 which a muslin-like fixbric is woven and beautifully ornamented. 



The Agaves or aloes, especially the Americana, are growing into importance 

 as fibre-making plants. A machine for separating pulp from the fibrous portion 

 of the leaves is in successful operation. 



