SCREW PINE SCREW TREE. 59 



the enormous success of jute. People would not look at it on that 

 account until recently, but now it is attracting very great attention. 

 For want of a European name for the plant, I have denominated the 

 fibre ' Sida ' fibre, and this is a very easy and nice name, better, perhaps, 

 than any other which could be given, and tha one by which it would, 

 in all probability, be known upon the market. With regard to the Rhea, 

 or China grass fibre, as many people prefer to call it, there is one point 

 which seems to have escaped notice. People have been devoting 

 time and attention to the utilisation of this fibre, to the abstraction 

 of the gummy matter, and the settlement of the dyeing problem. All 



Fig. 36. Screw Pine (Paiidanus utilis). 



these things have been a stumbling block to the pioneers of this 

 industry ; but they have never once stopped to ask if there was more 

 than one rhea. I believe that if, instead of wasting their time trying 

 to utilise one species, they had looked about to find some of the others, 

 they might have found some more easily workable way." These fibres 

 are also known as Sufet Bariata. 



Screw Tree (Helicteres Asoca, Sterculiacese). A native of the 

 East Indies, and a member of the family Sterculiaceas, introduced into 

 England in 1733. The fruits of the plant are twisted, hence its name 

 of screw tree. The fibres are derived from the bast, and are well 

 adapted for the manufacture of cordage. They have also been used for 

 the making of gunny bags and the blinds of verandahs. The plant 



