Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 79 



1866 for separating the Phormium-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 and more remunerative. Fibre further prepared by 

 Bonsor's process can be spun into the finest yarn. Mr. D. Martin, 

 of the Agricultural Department of Victoria, draws attention to the 

 dry method, adopted by M. Favier in G-erona, further to the several 

 machines lately constructed by M. Billiou, of Marseilles, by M. 

 Kaulek, of Paris, by M. Scheifner, of the same place, and by Don 

 D. Priesto, in Barcelona. M. Vial's process also deserves attention. 

 Superior machines have also recently been invented in the United 

 States ; one by Mr. W. H. Murray seems particularly recommend- 

 able [See Hilgard's Bulletin, January, 1891]. By Mr. Ch. Toppan's 

 process the fibre is now easily freed from any sticky, corticating 

 substances, and can be spun and carded by ordinary cotton- and wool- 

 machinery. A splendid resume of what has hitherto been achieved 

 in India with Rhea-culture is contained in Dr. G-. Watt's Dictionary, 

 vol. VI., 1892. The fibre is strong and durable, glossy, to some 

 extent with the appearance of silk. It was known in Europe to be 

 used in Japan for ropes and cordage since Kaempfer's time, and is 

 said to be three times as strong as hemp for this purpose ; it is not 

 easily subject to decay in water. But this fine and light fibre is also 

 well adapted for a variety of textile fabrics, enduring wear to an 

 extraordinary extent, and not particularly subject to attacks by insects. 

 Yarn is already made of it by the ton in Baltimore [T. Albee Smith]. 

 The ordinary market-value of the fibre is about 40 per ton ; but 

 Dr. Royle mentions, that it has realized at times 120. Lately the 

 culture of the Raniee has assumed sufficient magnitude to bring the 

 fibre into competition with, or even superiority to other leading textile 

 material. Also the leaves are useful, as they serve as food for silk- 

 worms [W. T. Dyer]. Other species of Boehmeria require to be 

 tested, among them one, which was discovered in Lord Howe's Island,, 

 namely, B. calophleba (Moore and Mueller). 



Boletus bovinus, Linn<$. 



Europe. Besides this species Dr. Goeppert mentions also the 

 following, as sold for food in the market of Silesia: B. circinans, 

 Persoon ; B. edulis, Bulliard ; B. luteus, Linne ; B. sapidus, Harzer ; 

 B. scaber, Bulliard ; B. subtomentosus, Linne ; B. variegatus, Swartz. 

 Dr. Cooke lauds B. sestivalis, Fries, for food. Dr. L. Planchon's 

 list of edible f ungs of France includes from this generic group : B. 

 sereus, Bulliard ; B. granulatus, Linne ; B. castaneus, 'Bulliard. 

 Edible is also B. badius, Fries. B. luteus, Fries, and B. granulatus, 

 Linne, are indigenous in the colony Victoria. Among the Victorian 

 species one, allied to B. edulis, attains a weight of 3 Ibs., and the 

 pileus then is of 12 inches width. The genus is dispersed over the 

 globe in numerous species, many others doubtless fair esculents, 

 although some are known to be poisonous. 



