Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 71 



Betula papyracea, Alton. 



The " Paper-Birch " of North- America. Generally a larger tree 

 than B. alba, with a fine-grained wood and a tough bark ; the latter 

 much used for portable canoes. Likes a cold situation. Hardy to 

 lat. 63 55 ; in Norway [Schuebeler]. Wood rather Keavy, hard 

 and tough, but adapted only for indoor-work, extensively employed 

 for spools, shoe-lasts, pegs and various turnery. 



Bixa Orellana, Linne. 



Tropical America. The Arnatto-plant. This shrub or small tree 

 can be grown to advantage for its pigment as far south as Moreton- 

 Bay and probably even further southward. Succeeds in Jamaica 

 up to 3,000 feet [W. Fawcett]. Culture most easy. Fruits well 

 in Natal [J. M. Wood]. 



Boehmeria nivea, Gaudichaud.* 



The " Ramee or Rhea." Southern Asia, as far east as Japan 

 This bush furnishes the strong and beautiful fibre, woven into a 

 fabric, which inappropiately is called grass-cloth. The plant can 

 be raised from seeds, which should be sown on manured or other- 

 wise rich and friable soil, when a crop is obtained in the third year, 

 or it can be multiplied quickly from cuttings. Rich forest-soil 

 seems best adapted for the Ramee, where occasional irrigation can 

 be applied. According to Mr. W. H. Murray, failures of crops are 

 unknown in California ; replanting is not required. Professor 

 Hilgard says, that it is one of the few plants, which will prosper on 

 alkaline land. In the open lands at Port Phillip it suffers from 

 the night-frosts, although not to such an extent as materially to 

 injure the plant, which sends up fresh shoots, fit for fibre, during 

 the warm season. The plant has been cultivated and distributed 

 by the writer since 1854 in the Botanic Garden of Melbourne, being 

 also here readily propagated from cuttings, the seeds rarely ripening 

 with us. Numerous shoots spring after cutting from the same root. 

 Ordinarily three crops can be obtained a year ; but under irrigation, 

 according to Professor Hilgard, the plant is cut four times annually 

 in California. Colonel Hannay and Dr. Forbes Watson record, that 

 in Assam even four to six crops are cut annually, that obtainable 

 in the cool season providing the strongest fibre ; the latter attains 

 sometimes the length of 6 feet. The produce of an acre has been 

 estimated at two tons of fibre, which is always best obtained from 

 the young shoots. The bark is softened by water or steam, and 

 then the bast is separable into its tender fibres ; but as in the case 

 of many other fibre-plants, both the so-called wet and the dry pro- 

 cess can be applied, the latter mode preferable, particularly in a 

 dry clime. Dr. Collyer, of Saharumpore, boils the whole branches 

 with soap-water [a process used here since 1866 for separating the 

 Phormiuin-fibre in rope-making, L. Morton] for the easy separation 

 of the fibre, of which he obtained 150 Ibs. from a ton of Ramee 

 branches. He also perfected machinery to render the process easy 



