CORCHORUS 



Grades 



THE JUTE PLANT 



Attributes of 

 Good Fibre. 



Grading 

 and Baling. 



Trade 

 Qualities. 



Late Flowering 

 advantageous. 



S eed Selection. 



Time available 

 for Proper 

 Treatment. 



Uttariya. 



Deswal. 



Desi. 



Deora. 



Warain- 

 ganji. 



Serajganji. 



Local 

 Influences. 



Prices. 



Deteriora- 

 tion. 



to the country, and is moreover quite sufficient for the majority of the 

 purposes for which the fibre is required. On these and many other such 

 considerations, machinery does not seem likely to come readily into use 

 in Bengal. Colour, lustre, length, softness, uniformity and cleanliness 

 are the attributes of superior jute. 



Grading, Baling and Qualities, etc. The produce is gathered to- 

 gether at various local centres : is sorted, packed and pressed for ship- 

 ment. The sorting resolves itself into " cuttings," which consist of the 

 woody and hard ends ; " rejections," the lowest quality of fibre ; and 

 " jute " proper. But of jute there are trade qualities, denoted for the 

 most part by the traders' marks more than by any special properties. 

 These are chiefly characterised by colour, glossiness and softness. It is 

 generally held that late flowering forms (e.g. those flowering in September) 

 give finer and stronger fibres than the early races (those that flower about 

 July), but the figures of yield that have been published would seem to 

 point to environment exercising a powerful influence. It would appear, 

 as Mr. Burkill has pointed out, that there is a tendency for jute to become 

 early in the northern and late in the southern districts. This tendency, 

 if confirmed, should be seized upon as one of value in seed- selecting. Bat 

 the late flowering forms of one district do not apparently yield as much as 

 the early flowering forms of another. Whilst that may be so, within any 

 one district, the late forms are distinctly superior to the early ones. The 

 variation in prices obtained is remarkable. Some of the forms of C. 

 otitorius yield as much and fetch as high prices as some of the forms of 

 C. ca2>sulaHs. But when all is said there is a distinct advantage in 

 the late forms, namely that the cultivators are then free to devote the 

 required time for harvesting operations. 



According to the reports currently issued, the finest grade is said to be 

 the " Uttariya," which is strong, long and easily spun, brilliant in colour 

 and of fine texture. In point of softness, however, it does not compare with 

 " Deswal" the next most valuable grade. The quality classed as " Desi " 

 (Daisee) is that most generally used in the gunny trade, and " Deora " 

 (Dourah) in rope manufacture. Other qualities that may be specially 

 mentioned are Narainganji, an excellent fibre, being long and soft, and 

 the Serajganji, which comes from Pabna and Maimensingh. The geo- 

 graphic value is one, therefore, that demands close study. Prain, referring 

 apparently to this subject, observes that a strain natural to or acclimatised 

 in a particular district gives better results in that district than any freshly 

 imported seed. At present there are districts that would seem to produce 

 very much better jute than others even when the same seed is used and 

 identical methods of treatment are pursued. The bales of jute consist of 

 400 lb., and are made up at the jute presses ready for export. 



Prices. These are subject to very considerable fluctuations, as may 

 be seen from the following prices ruling in Calcutta during January for 

 the years 1900-1906 : 



1900. 1901. 1902. 1903. 1904. 1905. 1906. 

 Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. 



Finest quality jute bales . . 35-8 34 32-8 37 36 41 52 



Ordinary 32-8 30 28 33 31-8 40 47 



Deterioration of Fibre. Much has been heard recently of the sup- 

 posed deterioration of the fibre, though the subject is by no means a new 

 one. It was discussed by Mr. Hem Chunder Kerr thirty years ago. The 

 conclusion he arrived at closely corresponds with the particulars adduced 



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