FIBRE CROPS. 279 



of the growth. It is cut with a mower or self -rake 

 reaper when not too large, or it is cut by hand, as in 

 the case of Indian corn. It is allowed to lie on the 

 ground until retted or rotted by dews and rains, when 

 it is shocked as Indian corn or tied in bundles and 

 stacked. 



In some cases the hemp is broken in the field, thus 

 leaving the waste products on the soil; in other cases 

 it is carried to a central place where more rapid ma- 

 chinery is used. 



BAMIE. 



Ramie {Boehmeria nivea) is a perennial shrub 

 with herbaceous shoots belonging to the same family 

 as hemp, which it somewhat resembles in general 

 growth and appearance. 



It has been grown in Eastern Asia from very remote 

 times in a limited way. The fibre is there extracted 

 by hand by a slow and tedious process, and is used for 

 cordage and other coarse manufactures as well as for 

 making textiles of great beauty. It is capable of a 

 great variety of uses. 



It is an inter tropical plant, and grows readily in the 

 Gulf states in any soil which has a good supply of 

 moisture, coupled with thorough drainage. It is 

 claimed that three crops per season may be obtained. 



The plant is propagated by seeds, cuttings or divi- 

 sion of roots. If by seeds, the plants must be started 

 in hot- beds. Cuttings of the ripened wood, including 

 three buds, are set like willow cuttings, with the mid- 

 dle bud at the surface of the ground. The propaga- 

 tion by the division of roots of the fully matured 

 plants is recommended for this country. The plants 

 should be placed about as thickly as hills of Indian corn. 



