[ 3" 1 . 



leaves is about 24 Ibs. The Chinese grow about 80,000 stems 

 per acre z>., about 19,200 Ibs, Faure's decorticating machine 

 which extracts 3 per cent, of fibre which is in a purer state 

 than China-grass, yields 576 Ibs. of fibre in one cutting. In 

 the 'remaining two cuttings another 576 Ibs. at least may be 

 reasonably expected, or a total of 1152 Ibs. per acre per 

 annum, which at 30 per ton (the price paid in London for 

 high class 'China^grass') is worth about 15, or Rs. 225, 

 while an acre of indigo produces a gross outturn of only 

 about Rs. 20 or Rs. 30. From the Spanish and Chinese figures 

 it Feems, one may fairly estimate the produce of rhea fibre at 

 jooo Ibs. or say 12 maunds per acre per annum, which is a 

 more reliable figure to go upon than either 7 to 8 maunds or 

 50 to 55 maunds per acre, which are the figures variously 

 given by Bengal cultivators. Of course, the climate has 

 everything to do w ? ith the produce. Where the climate is 

 damp, and the soil always more or less damp, without ever 

 getting water-logged, 25 maunds of fibre may be obtained, 

 while in dry localities the produce may not reach even 5 

 maunds to the acre. 



447. Method of cultivation. Rhea is propagated from 

 stem-cuttings and root-cuttings, also from seed. The cuttings 

 6" to g" long may be planted horizontally 3" to 4" under 

 soil i ft. apart each way. 12,000 to 13,000 cuttings are 

 required to plant an acre. The fields should be weeded and 

 hoed after each cutting of stems and heavily manured each 

 year during the dry season. Blanks should be filled in from 

 time to time by planting cuttings horizontally 3" deep as 

 already mentioned. The shoots are cut down when the bottom 

 portion of the stem begins to turn brown and the leaves low 

 down the stem begin to fall off. Two to five cuttings are 

 obtained annually according to the richness of the soil and 

 the care with which the plants are tended, three cuttings 

 being a good average crop. Six cuttings can be obtained in 

 shade, if the plants are heavily manured and watered. If 



