THE STAPLE PRODUCTS OF JAMAICA, 277 
tions, as it arrives at maturity in twelve or fifteen years, reproduces itself 
the second year, and when cut down for market, throws up from the 
stool strong shoots of some ten or twelve feet long. The Cam-wood, 
although three times as valuable, does not seem to thrive well out of 
Bath, and requires attention at first. 
The Chinese Grass cloth, or Rheea fibre of India (Bcehmeria nivea), 
is likely to become useful ; inquiry is now being made, by the Home 
Government, as to any likelihood of its successful culture here, and I 
have answered every inquiry in full as to its free and luxurious growth 
in all moist and warm localities, producing two crops of shoots 8 or 10 
feet in height a year, suitable for the production of fibre. It was sent 
out in 1854, and has since been largely distributed, but no one will 
individually take up the cultivation, so that after I have had twelve 
years' experience in growing this plant, and having brought it to the 
notice of the world time after time, I regret to find that it has been 
all of no use. Now the Americans have found out its high value, and 
are successfully using it in textile manufactures at Bradford, paying 
as much as JE70 or £S0 per ton for it, and this has brought it to 
the notice of the English Government. This is just the climate for 
it, above all others, and they need not go further to try experiments ; 
but probably this, like other things, will be lost sight of. I once re- 
ceived a specimen of this fibre cleaned in London, and which was 
sold at 2*. 6rf. per lb., equivalent to £280 per ton. I mentioned this 
in my reply just sent in, and I think the machinery that cleaned it is 
in the possession of Mr. Sharp, who made such a stir about our fibres 
some years ago. 1 think I have proved to the world the superiority 
as well as quantity of our fibre-producing plants, by the receipt of 
f our medals awarded at the various International Exhibitions. 
The Clove was growing well until one of the great floods swept it 
& lv,lu a 
aw 'ay ; it has lately been introduced from Trinidad. 
The Chocolate {Theobroma Cacao) is quite at home ; it bears the 
third year in a congenial climate and soil -that is, free porous soil, 
and a rather moist and warm climate, well sheltered. There is not 
much of it grown, not even so much as to supply the island consump- 
tion. The rats are very destructive to it, and bats also ; they are 
f ond of the sweet pulp surrounding the seeds. I have an acre of it 
i'^e, but the rats prevent me getting any practical benefit from it. 
mack Pepper was introduced and throve well, but has been lust 
even after a free distribution of plants. 
