DANGEROUS KINDS OF NETTLE. 139 



The fresh bark, after having been cut in pieces, is fermented 

 with water, palm-juice, and a little coarse sugar. When 

 the fermentation is at its proper height, the liquor is dis- 

 tilled and the spirit drawn off. From a third species, whose 

 wood is of uncommon hardness, the Bramins are accus- 

 tomed to kindle their sacred fire by rubbing two pieces of 

 it together. 



URTICE^E. 



India is singularly rich in plants of this family. Dr. 

 M'allich's catalogue contains 47 species of Urtica (nettle), 

 while in Sprengel's edition of the Systema, Yegetabilium, 

 the total number amounts only to 111 species. Fourteen 

 species of Procris are also enumerated in the same catalogue. 

 Several of the Indian nettles have been substituted for hemp 

 ty the natives, and experiments have been made upon the 

 fibre, with a view of ascertaining its real value, butwithout 

 much success. The Urtica tejiacissima of Roxburgh is the 

 most useful species for this purpose, and indeed is cultivated 

 bj' the inhabitants of Rungpoor for the sake of the fibres 

 of its bark, of which they make their fishing-nets. It is 

 the kankhura of that district, and the ramy of the Malays. 

 The plant grows from cuttings, and the fibres are certainly 

 very fine and strong, but the cleaning is a tedious process. 

 Everybody is acquainted with the effects of the sting of 

 the common European nettles, but they can hardly form an 

 idea of the consequences which arise from handling some 

 of the Indian species. Professor Lindley mentions a ' 

 strikmg example in the case of M. Leschenault, who de- 

 scribes the effect of gathering Urtica cremdata in the Bo- 

 tanic Garden at Calcutta. The account is contamed in the 

 sixth volume of the Miinoircs du Musium ; but as we have 

 not that work at hand, we shall quote Professor Lindley's 

 own words. " One of the leaves (says M. Leschenault) 

 slightly touched the first three fingers of my left hand : at 

 the time I only perceived a slight pricking, to which I paid 

 no intention. This was at seven in the morning. The 

 pam continued to increase ; in an hour it had become in- 

 tolerable ; it seemed as if some one was rubbing'my fingers 

 with a hot iron. Nevertheless there was no remarkable 

 appearance ; neither swelling, nor pustule, nor inflamma- 



