600 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



Among other fibrous prodilots received in reply to the circular sent 

 to manufacturers were samples of the bagasse of sugar-cane and a series 

 of the products derived from it for pa])er manufacture. The raw product 

 is obtained at the mills (Louisiana sugar plantations) at about $15 per 

 ton, or three fourths of a cent per pound. The bagasse from Louisiana 

 cane is considered superior to that from the West Indites, from the fact 

 that it never reaches its real state of maturity, while the latter is not 

 used until quite ripe. The matured fiber is coarser and less flexible and 

 Btrong. 



Before closing this category of new fibers it will be well to mention a 

 New Jersey industry, quite limited in extent, which is a source of con- 

 Biderabie revenue to those engaged in it. It is the gathering of the fiber 

 from the brown heads of the cat-tail flag, Typha latifolia. The l^ew 

 Jersey swamps abound with this reed, and in the fall large quantities of 

 the " fiber " are gathered by men and boys, to be sold in the New York 

 market for upholstering purposes. Its chief use is as a substitute for 

 feathers in the manufacture of pillows, the finest "fiber" bringing often 

 $60 per ton. The collector, as he should be called, goes into the field 

 or swamp armed with a large bag ; at his side he carries a little pronged 

 instrument, by means of which the fluffy mass of fibrous material or 

 " down " is stripped from the stalk as the operator passes the head of 

 the reed through it. The heads must be fully mature, and then the 

 material comes off without trouble, falling into the open mouth of the 

 bag as the operator walks along. There are several grades of " fiber," 

 some of them "fancy," bringing extra prices. I am informed that a 

 fiber is also produced from the stalk of this flag, though I was unable 

 to learn anything definite concerning it. 



FIBEK MACHIKEEY. 



We cannot leave this report without a brief reference to some of the 

 improved machinery now available for the preparation of flax, hemp, 

 ramie, and other fibers. Some forty-five patents have been granted in the 

 last five years for improvements in machines for cleaning, preparing, and 

 manipulating vegetable fiber, exclusive of cotton, a list of which, with 

 names of inventors and dates of issue, are given in an appendix to this 

 report. As but a few of these can claim our attention, only the most 

 important will be named, together with several standard machines for 

 especially preparing flax and hemp. 



Flax and hemp machinery ha,8 been treated so fully in Mr. Proctor's 

 late work, issued by the geological survey of Kentucky, that I take 

 pleasure in referring to its pages those desiring more complete descrip- 

 tions than can be given in this brief report. 



Two forms of machines are used by those cultivating small areas or 

 making flax cultivation a secondary matter of farm practice. The first 

 of these may be described as a revolving brake with rollers six inches 

 in diameter. Tliese may be of cast iron with flutes, or of hard wood 

 with surfaces fluted, or of wood with ridges of iron screwed on. Slots 

 in the fi-arae work, 3 or 4 inches long, allow sufficient play for the bear- 

 ings of the upi)er roller. The pressure is given by attaching heavy 

 •weights to poles which rest upon the gudgeons of the upper roller, sup- 

 ported by bands of iron which pass over them. The driving pulley is 

 connected with the lower I'oller. In this machine the straw is passed 

 through the rollers several times until sufficiently broken. 



The second machine is of English manufacture, and i^ similar in con 

 Btruction, but more powerful. There are two pairs of fluted rollers, the 



