t 308 ] 



places in mud in the margin of tanks ; (2) In other places, 

 they are submerged in water and weighted like jute. (3) In 

 some places running water is chosen and in others stagnant 

 water. (4) In dry rrgions the stems are tied in bundles of 

 20 to roo and left on the field until they are quite dry. 

 After 2 days' steeping in water, the fibres are easily detached. 

 (5) Separation is also effected without retting. When steeped 

 like jute, 4 days' to a week's steeping is sufficient in the hot 

 weather and oversteeping must be avoided. When retting 

 is complete, bundle after bundle is taken and threshed in 

 water until the fibre separates out. The drying of bundles 

 of Sunn is done in the same way as drying of jute fibre ; 

 but heckling is afterwards required to get clean fibres parallel 

 to one another. One third of the weight of the fibre is lost in 

 this heckling process, but the tow obtained is a useful material 

 for making paper. 



441. The seed of Sunn hemp used as fodder increases 

 the flow of milk of milch cows. 



CHAPTER XLIX. 



Fibre 'Crops continued. 

 (4) RHEA (BCEHMERIA NIVEA, &c.). 



'TMnS crop is also known as Ramie, China-grass, and 

 Kankura*. Inordinate hopes are raised from time to 

 time regarding the prospects of the rhea-planting industry, 

 but there is little hope of its being worked with profit in this 

 country, except with very expensive European machinery. 

 The hand-stripping of ribbons or bark, as practised in China 

 and in this country is very expensive. The crudely cleaned 



