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of merchants who valued it at £26 per ton in London, with sisal 

 hemp at £26 per ton (December, 1913). It was further remarked 

 that fibre of this quality would be saleable in large quantities for 

 cordage manufacture and that a more valuable product could 

 probably be obtained by extracting the leaves with modern machinery 

 and brushing the fibre produced. 



The following fibre plants, namely, Furcnea sp.. Sisal hemp 

 {Agava rigida, var. sisalana), and Manila hemp (Musa textilis) have 

 been grown here with a considerable amount of success. 



Manila hemp is propagated from suckers which are planted out 

 at distances of about 8 feet. The first crop is collected when the 

 plants are two years old. Furcrxa and Sisal are propagated by 

 suckers or bulbils, and may be planted out at di^ances of 10 feet 

 each way. The plants come into bearing in their third or fourth year. 



These fibres should not be interplanted with anything which 

 provides heavy shade, but grown as sole crops in preference. 



Ipecacuanha {Psychotria Ipecacuanha.) 



This plant requires a great deal of cax'e and attention but can, 

 unquestionably, be successfully grown in Malaya. Specimens of 

 dried root grown at the Kuala Lumpur Experimental Plantation were 

 recently forwarded to London for sale and the under-mentioned note 

 was received regarding the sample. " The result of the analysis, we 

 may say, compares favourably with other results which have been 

 reported to us. Prices for Ipecacuanha have fluctuated violently 

 during the war and at one time Johore i-eached 17s. per lb. but high 

 prices attracted unusually large supplies of Bx^azilian and values have 

 fallen. The demand for this description was chiefly for Germany 

 and has entirely ceased. Present value is about 8s. per lb." Propa- 

 gation is by root, stem and seed. Root cuttings are made about 

 J inch in length and planted in a horizontal position in boxes 

 containing 2/3 sand and rich jungle mould. The permanent distance 

 of planting is 18 inches. Ipecacuanha must have shade throughout 

 its period of growth. The plants are ready for lifting when two 

 to two and a half years old and yield from 2 to 3 ozs. of 

 marketable root per plant. The roots require to be carefully lifted, 

 thoroughly washed, sun-dried and all foreign matter i-emoved before 

 being sold. Ipecacuanha can be grown as a catch-crop under 

 moderate shade. 



Chenopodium (0. ambrosioides, var. anthehninticum.) 

 This plant produces wormseed oil which is becoming of 

 considerable importance on account of its uSe in the treatment of the 

 disease known as American hook worm, or ankylostomiasis, and 

 it is probable that there will be a fair demand in the near future. 

 Seed was received from Maryland, U.S.A., in the beginning 

 of 1916 and two crops have been harvested up to date. One lb. 



