ON THE CULTIVATION OF RHEEA. 357 



tion than this can be obtained, and there is nothing to lead 

 one to suppose that any more practical means can be adopted 

 to command a regular supply. 



"Mr. A. C. Brice (St. Mary Axe), who has been up the 

 country in India for many years' cotton growing, says that he 

 believes he could, with great exertion, scrape together 1,000 

 tons the first year, * and 5,000 tons the second year ; but he 

 has not stated the sources. 



" It is certainly the fact, that nearly all the productions of 

 India are obtained at present by encouraging the native Ryots 

 to devote their attention to it, and making them advances. 

 When this can be done, it is a good system, and the produc- 

 tions are obtained very cheaply. This plan might be usefully 

 resorted to, even directly, but when regard is had to the 

 natural slowness of the natives, there is reason to fear it 

 would be a few years before a large quantity should be safely 

 relied upon. 



"An example set by very energetic work at first, would tell 

 in an extraordinary way upon the natives, and the process 

 employed would the sooner be imitated by them. A model 

 plantation or farm would also present the advantage of 

 affording an opportunity of using portions of the land for the 

 growth of plantain, aloe, pine-apple, Neilgherry nettle, agave, 

 and other plants giving useful fibres ; and the natives will 

 Be found shrewd enough to come from a great distance, 



* Mr. Brice has given a letter to the patentee, contracting to supply 700 tons 

 within twelve months', at 25 per ton, delivered in London or Liverpool. If 

 the sagacious Emperor of the French could be told that there was any part of 

 the French possessions capable of sending such material to Fiance, at such a 

 low figure as 2d. per lb., would he not at once see, that France would be the 

 first place to benefit ? However, he shall know (by my sending a copy of this 

 work), that His Majesty's possessions in Africa can produce the rheea plant as 

 well as India, as our government tells the operatives of Lancashire, " You may 

 starve on, until private enterprise comes forward to obtain material in place of 

 cotton." 



