. [ 3" 1 



stems ready for cutting are alone selected, as is the practice 

 with some intelligent cultivators, cuttings can be had unin- 

 terruptedly throughout the year. If the cuttings are first 

 planted in September, the first crop may be harvested in May 

 (which is the shortest crop), the second in June (the best 

 crop), the third in July and the fourth in August. Planting 

 of cuttings can take place in May and June also. 



448. If rhea is propagated from seed, it is necessary to 

 sow the seed superficially on light sandy soil well manured 

 with rotten dung. Rhea seed like sugarcane seed should 

 not be covered with earth after sowing. Even a light cover- 

 ing of earth prevents germination. But on the seed-bed there 

 should be a covering of mat put on as is done in sowing 

 cabbage and cauliflower seed. This mat should be kept 

 moist and the seed should not be watered direct. When 

 plants have fully appeared, the covering of mat shouldj be 

 taken off, and watering done occasionally as required. Sep- 

 tember is the best time for sowing and transplanting rhea. 

 The seedlings should be transplanted when they are about 

 3 inches high. 



449. The question of the extraction of fibre from the 

 steins is so important, that the Government of India offered 

 at one time a reward of 5,000. for a rhea fibre-extracting ma- 

 chine, but this offer was withdrawn by a Resolution dated 191)1 

 March 1 88 r. This Resolution says : "From the low valua- 

 tion put by the English firms on the samples of fibre produced 

 at the late competition, it does not seem probable that Indian 

 rhea fibre will be able, for the present at least, to compete 

 successfully with the Chinese product; while the experience 

 which has been so far gained also points to the conclusion that 

 in most parts of India the cultivation of rhea cannot be un- 

 dertaken with profit. Rhea is naturally an equatorial plant, 

 and it requires a moist air s,nd rich soil and plenty of water, 

 while extremes of ternperatu-e are unfavourable to it. Such 

 conditions may be found in parts of Burma, in Upper Assam, 



