420 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



The small prieklcs with which the leaves are 

 covered, are hollow tubes filled with an acrid 

 liquid. These tubes have a small hole at the 

 point, and when gently pressed the sharp points 

 enter the skin, and the fluid flows into the wound, 

 causing a burning sensation in the skin, and a 

 blister. A strong decoction of the plant salted, 

 will readily coagulate milk without imparting 

 the disagreeable flavour that ill prepared ninnet 

 is apt to do. The Chinese and other nations 

 manufacture a sort of cloth from tlie prepared 

 fibres of the nettle. 



Sunn, or Indian Hemp (crotoleria junceaj, 

 Katural family leguminosce; diadclphia, decan- 

 dria, Linnteus. Two species of crotoleria are 

 cultivated in the Indies, and used for the same 

 purposes as hemp. The stalk is herbaceous, fur- 

 rowed, and grows to the height of four to six 

 feet. The leaves are simple, lanceolate, subses- 

 sile ; the flowers are papilionaceous ; the pods 

 smooth. It is of easy culture, and very produc- 

 tive. The seeds are sown pretty thick, in a soil 

 which requires little previous culture, about the 

 commencement of the rainy season. In about 

 three or four months afterwards the plants are 

 ready for gathering, which is known by the 

 blossoms beginning to fidl otF. The plants are 

 either pulled up by the roots, or cut down short. 

 They are then immediately placed in shallow 

 water, standing on their root ends, not more than 

 one-third of the plant being immersed; next day 

 they are wholly covered with water; and thus 

 the thicker and more woody part is steeped longer 

 than the thinner and more delicate. After three 

 or four days' maceration, the dresser, standing in 

 the water, taljes up a handful of the stems, breaks 

 them in the middle, and strikes each part suc- 

 cessively on the water until the fibre separates 

 from the reed. The filaments are then hung up 

 to dry, and with little more preparation are made 

 into cordage, fishing nets, and small lines. 



Paat, or Jute (corchorus olitorius). Natural 

 family siliacece; polyandria, monogynia, Liu- 

 iiajus. This is an annual plant, which flowers in 

 autumn, and grows wild in many districts of 

 India. In Bengal it is cultivated for its fibres, 

 which are made into cordage. In its wild state 

 it is short and branchy; but when cultivated it 

 sends up a smooth round stem, of the height of 

 three feet. About Aleppo the Jews cultivate 

 this plant as a pot herb. The Hindoos also boil 

 and eat the leaves. The stems require to be ma- 

 cerated for two or three weeks before the fibres 

 can be separated. The bags in which Indian 

 sugar is brought to this country are made of the 

 material of this plant. 



Chinese Hemp (corchorus capsularis). This 

 sjjccies is cultivated in China, as well as in Ben- 

 gal, both as an article of food and for the manu- 

 facture of cordage. It is found, however, to be 

 inferior in every respect to the fibre of hemp. 



Another plant, sanseviera sylanica, found in 

 China, Ceylon, and other parts of India, is cul- 

 tivated for similar purposes. Its leaves, which 

 are from three to four feet in length, afford a 

 fibrous substance, which the natives prepare by 

 placing the leaf on a smooth broad table, holding 

 it dowai by putting their great toe on one end of 

 it, and then scraping it with a thin piece of hard 

 wood held in both hands. Forty pounds of 

 leaves thus scraped will afford one pound of 

 clean dry fibres. Dr Roxburgh reckons this 

 material of excellent quality ; and thinks tliat 

 the China grass, used by the Chinese for fiddle 

 strings, fishing lines, and other purposes, is no- 

 thing else than this plant. It is used also by 

 the natives of the Circars for stringing their 

 bows. 



Anotlier species, sanseviera guineansis, found 

 wild in great abundance in western Africa, -is 

 said to rival the New Zealand flax in tenacity of 

 fibre. 



New Zealand E'lax (phormimn tenaxj. Na- 

 tural family asphodekw; hexandria, monogi/Hia, 



131. 



New Zealand Flex. 



LinniBus. This plant, which grows in great 

 abundance in New Zealand, has long slender 

 leaves, resembling the common flag, and which, 

 proceeding from the root, encircle the stem. This 

 latter rises single to the height of several feet, 

 and then branching out, beai-s a number of small 

 flowers. 



The fibrous part of the leaves is possessed of 

 great tenacity and strengtli, and with very little 

 preparatory labour, is converted by the natives 

 of New Zealand into clothing and cordage, which 

 latter is found to be mucli stronger than that 

 made from hemp. Another preparation produces 

 from the same plant long slender fibres of a beau- 

 tiful whiteness, and having the lustre of silk. 

 Of these the natives make their best clothes. 

 This plant was introduced into Ireland by Mr 

 Underwood, in the year 1790, whore it has been 

 cultivated as an ornamental plant ever since. 



