CHAPTER VIII. 

 RAMIE, RHEA, AND CHINA GRASS. 



RAMIE, rhea, and China grass are the strongest of all the 

 textile fibres, and possess many other valuable qualities, 

 such as lustre (almost equal to that of silk), non-liability to 

 rot in water, and superior dyeing properties. Nevertheless, 

 owing to difficulties which have been encountered in its pre- 

 paration, its manufacture has not yet attained the importance 

 of that of cotton, hemp, or flax. 



There are two sorts of plants which produce ramie, or fibre, 

 of similar appearance : one called the Boehmena tenacissima y 

 has leaves of which the backs are green ; the other, the 

 B. neria, has leaves with white backs and is the ramie plant 

 proper, the former plant being often called rhea. Ramie fibre 

 is generally of a brighter colour than rhea, and is finer but 

 rather weaker. The fibre called China grass is produced 

 from either of these plants. 



Rhea is grown in Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Malacca, India, 

 and Mexico ; ramie principally in China and Formosa. The 

 attempts which have been made to cultivate the plant in 

 European countries have ended in failure, as the winter is 

 too cold. 



A suitable soil is one which is moist but not sodden ; a 

 friable loam with a porous subsoil. A hot and rainy climate 

 is the most suitable, for dry heat kills the plant. It is peren- 

 nial, and gives from two to five crops of fibre per annum for 

 many years in succession. When the plant is produced from 

 seed it is only possible to get one crop of fibre the first year, 



