BEING SPUN ON COTTON MACHINERY. 335 



" You are not in the least likely to get jute or rheea fibre 

 from any garden in Europe at this season. Jute is an ugly, 

 weed-like plant, that nobody cares to cultivate, and it must be 

 reared in a hot-house. I do not think anybody has it in 

 England. We had it for two or three years, but nobody paid 

 the least attention to it. 



" It is otherwise with the rheea fibre. We can grow that 

 out of doors ; but then the first frost cuts it and kills it down 

 to the ground. Still, it might be worth cultivating pretty 

 largely in the south of England, and I have no doubt it 

 would yield a good crop if only proper attention was paid 

 to it. 



" Generally speaking, the best fibres are "* in tropical 

 countries, and those of the East Indies (jute, for example), 

 might easily be reared in Jamaica, if it would sell and yield 

 profit. I do not know if Mr. Wilson has yet reared jute in 

 Jamaica. 



"I should think the leaves of the American aloe would 

 bear a long voyage well, and that Mr. Wilson can send ; but 

 they would be bulky with all their pulp. 



' ' I am sorry to say, in the winter season, I very rarely go 

 to London, or 1 would call upon you. In the spring I shall 



hope to do so. 



' ' Your obedient servant, 



W. J. HOOKER." 



Pine-apple, plantain, and aloe fibres can be had in any 

 quantity in Jamaica. 



expressing their surprise that our rulers should allow the Lancashire operatives 

 to starve, without making any move towards promoting the cultivation of the 

 plant in India and our colonies. My hope now, in December 1864, is, that 

 the M.IVs into whose hands I shall place copies of this work will, in their 

 place in Parliament in the coming spring, call on Her Majesty's government to 

 encourage by some means the growth of such fibres, for the great want of 

 material now so severely felt in Lancashire, especially \vhen rheea fibre can be 

 had in England at 2|d. per Ib. ; a price that cotton . cannot be produced at in 

 any part of the world. 



