— 55 — 



fied as belougiug to the genus ci/nijjs. The fly stings 

 the ovary or any other part of the plant and thus causes 

 the falling oi' the flowers or of the tender pods. 



Fi1)res 



Coming next in importance is the Fibre Industry^ 

 which was well represented at the Exhibition. The 

 Department of the Botanical Gardens contributed a 

 very fine collection consisting of 198 specimens which 

 has since been presented to the Botanical IMuseum at 

 Kew. It was generally acknowledged that the collection 

 was a valuable one to facilitate inspection, it was 

 scientifically arranged in the alphabetical order of their 

 latin names. Of these fibres^ few however had a mer- 

 cantile value, whilst some important and beautiful 

 samples of aloe fibres {¥ourcroya Qlgaiiteci), long, clean 

 end strong were one of the features of the court. The 

 specimens entrusted to me were but small, but were 

 supplemented by Bales of the Fibre as shipped by Mr. 

 Bourguignon, Mr. D'Unienville and the Mon Repos 

 and Palmy re Estates exhibited by their London Agents. 

 It is much to be regretted that the unexpected fall 

 in prices of this fibre broke several of the local compa- 

 nies that were formed for the working of the aloe 

 Estates. But, here again, as in the sugar industiy, 

 if greater economy in the manufacture is introduced, it 

 can work wonders, as there is no doubt, Mauritius is 

 admirably adapted to the fibre culture. 



Alongside with very creditable samples of aloe fi- 



