150 THE BANANA 



with the best fibres used for ropemaking, are similar to 

 the most expensive grades of Manila hemp, and would 

 meet with a ready sale in the London market. The seven 

 samples varied in the valuation from 20 to 50 per ton, 

 based on the current prices of the best grades of Manila 

 hemp, which varied at that time from 43 to 57 per ton. 



A sample of fibre from a species of wild Musa from 

 Tenasserim, Burma, was lately examined at the Imperial 

 Institute,* and the fibre was reported to be clean, lustrous, 

 well prepared ; the strength was good, and the length 

 varied from 4 ft. to 5 ft. 6 in. A commercial firm to whom 

 the sample was submitted regarded the fibre as particularly 

 valuable on account of its softness, and valued it nominally 

 at about 20 per ton, with " fair current " Manila hemp 

 at 22 to 22 105. per ton in the London market. There 

 is no doubt that fibre of this quality would be readily 

 saleable in the United Kingdom. 



Manila hemp plants are being experimentally cultivated 

 at Mazeras in British J&isjLAfri ca >t an< ^ have made satis- 

 factory growth. Several acres at Cainville, Limoru, have 

 been planted with the indigenous " wild banana " (Musa 

 sp.), which is widely distributed in the Protectorate. It 

 is propagated from seed, and usually requires from two 

 to two and a half years to reach maturity. A useful fibre 

 is obtained from the sheaths by a method of beating, 

 scraping, washing, and drying ; but this mode of prepara- 

 tion is both expensive and unreliable. If a satisfactory 

 machine were introduced, there is no doubt that a profit- 

 able industry could be established, as not only could the 

 wild plants be utilized, but a permanent supply could be 

 readily obtained by cultivation. 



Banana and Plantain Fibre. Banana fibre from 

 Southern Rhodesia was sent to the Imperial Institute, J 

 and the brokers reported that this was a somewhat soft 

 fibre, of fair strength, stronger and more even than is 



* Bull. Imp. Inst., x. 536 (1912). 



t Ann. Rep. Dept. Agri., Brit. E. Africa, 1909-10, 99. 



t Bull. Imp. Inst., ii. 168 (1904). 



