OIL-PALM FIBRE 197 



CULTIVATION IN SCOTLAND 



During recent years, experiments have been made 

 with Phormium tenax in the South-west of Scotland. 

 Several acres have been planted, extracting machinery 

 has been introduced, and in 1913 a crop of fibre of 

 very satisfactory quality was produced. It has not 

 yet been definitely proved whether it will be possible 

 to establish a remunerative industry, as this will 

 depend very largely on the amount of labour required 

 and its cost. 



OIL-PALM FIBRE 



The leaflets of the West African oil-palm (Eiceis 

 guineensis) yield a pale yellowish-green, fine fibre of 

 great strength and excellent quality. Small quanti- 

 ties of this fibre have appeared from time to time on 

 the market, but the cost of production is so great as 

 to make it impossible to prepare it at any but a pro- 

 hibitive price, even with the advantage of native 

 labour. If, however, a cheap method of separating 

 the fibre from the leaves could be devised, the pro- 

 duct would be well worth exporting. The only use 

 to which the fibre has been applied hitherto is for the 

 local manufacture of fishing lines and fine cordage. 

 It is probable that if a constant supply were available 

 for export it would find a ready market. 



