NETTLE. 5fr 



among briars, and in shady valleys, where the soil 

 consists of a blue clay or strong loam. Plants were 

 obtained in such a situation which in general mea- 

 sured from five to nine feet high ; some of the larger 

 were selected, which were of an extraordinary size, 

 being twelve feet high, and their stalk two inches in 

 circumference. It is difficult to imagine that the 

 stinging nettle, which we so carefully root out from 

 our gardens ere it has attained many inches in height, 

 can ever arrive at such gigantic dimensions. 



This plant has a perennial root, and when the 

 stalks are cut down others quickly shoot forth. The 

 most favourable time for collecting these is in the 

 months of July and August. The quantity of avail- 

 able fibres in a given weight of nettle stalks is far 

 smaller than that obtained from an equal weight of 

 flax stalks, and therefore it could never be made so 

 profitable an article of cultivation, the more especially 

 as much more attention is required in retting and 

 otherwise preparing these for spinning. But as the 

 nettle flourishes abundantly all over Europe in wastes 

 where no other vegetation, save a few noxious 

 weeds, will grow, this wild produce might perhaps 

 be profitably converted into a material for clothing. 



Some experiments in the preparation of linen and 

 thread from the floss of nettles were made a few years 

 ago in Ireland. The thread, in colour, strength, and 

 fineness, was equal, if not superior, to that obtained 

 from flax, and the linen had the appearance of com- 

 mon grey linen. 



The common and the Siberian stinging nettle are 

 both found abundantly in Russia, especially on the 

 Ural Mountains. These plants are converted to 

 profitable use by the Baschkirs, the Koibals, the 

 Sagayan Tartars, &c., who prepare yarn and weave 

 linen of them. 



In other countries the fibres of the nettle are 



