562 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
The value of flax imported is in still greater excess, viz: 
Marks. 
1893 code cctam ite F 55 See EEE Ee 2 oN oes vows. 23;10809000 
ISTA 22.2 ene ne eee ee ee ee nee tee eee eee eee 22, 072, 000 
1815 san. 2 see ends Seen be ee Ee eS 16, 515, 000 
W876 5.2.34 see- SPER ae ae eee eee = <i 9, 400, 000 
In four years .-...-.--.. Stee tye. > ee 71, 027, 000 
Of the 200 species known to botanists but one, the Urtica dioica, 
belongs to the German flora. This plant, which in a wild state grows 
toa height of two meters, is divided into two varieties, the red and 
green stemmed, the latter being supposed to yield the finest fibers. It 
thrives in every soil, but the better the soil the more luxuriant the 
growth. 
The yield for ten or fifteen years is almost invariably the same. Shade 
is preferred to sunshine, and, excepting the first year or two, but little 
or no care is necessary. It is harvested in August. The leaves are 
stripped off and serve as fodder, while the stems are treated in the same 
manner as flax. 
While but little susceptible to the influences of the weather, the nettle 
has a number of vegetable and insect enemies which hinder its devel- 
opment. No less than nine species of beetles and forty sorts of cater- 
pillars are known to take up their destructive abode in the nettle, which 
suffers also from the vegetable parasite Cuscuta europea. 
The cultivation of the nettle as yet has been too limited to permit of 
definite estimates of the yield, but it is certain, from experiments actually 
made, that it isa grateful plant, and likely to exceed grain in the abun- 
dance of the yield. Before large tracts are, however, given over to nettle 
culture, it would be advisable to make more extensive experiments in 
sterile districts, wood openings, escarpments and railway dams, &e. 
The latter are especially adapted for the culture, since the nettle requires 
little or no care, and yields a more abundant and better fodder than 
any other which would grow on the steppes. 
EXPERIMENTS OF FRAU VON ROESZLER LADE. 
Frau von Ladé,in a small pamphlet just published, entitled “Die 
Nessel eine Gespirmstpflanze,” writes of the nettle as follows: 
“Nettles (wrtiea), of which there are sixty-nine species, are found in 
Europe, Asia, and America. The best and finest species are the Indian 
and Chinese nettles, the Urtica Nivea. This species, however, like the 
tea-rose, only thrives in this (German) climate when planted in warm 
districts and is well protected from the cold. Its fibers are wonderfully 
white and glossy, and the plant is highly esteemed in China. Its fibers 
are known in England under the name of China grass. 
‘“‘ Besides this species there are the Urtica canabina, a native of Siberia, 
and the U. Lapertea canadensis, a Canadian plant, which are hardy species 
with fine fibers and well adapted to this climate. 
“The German nettle (Urtica dioica) is known in Europe, Asia, and 
Ameriea as one of the most frequent and difficult of weeds to extermi- 
nate. In Europe there are two sorts, the red and green stemmed, the 
latter yielding the best fibers. Both are good sized plants, reaching, 
according to the soil, to a height of six or seven feet. 
