302 Transactions of the American Institute. 



it down with a pile of brushes, and sowed grass seeds. Two years 

 ago I gave it another spreading of natural ground, and have kept 

 throwing on grass seeds. When I now walk over the piece I dis- 

 cover a remarkable change. Some places there is nearly all new 

 grass ; some places about the half; some places about the one-fourth ; 

 in others it remains nearly all wild. In part the change has been 

 effected by watering. 



Adjourned. 



May 11, 1869. 



Mr. Nathan C. Ely, President of the Club, in the chair; Mr. John W. Chambers, 



Secretary. 



New Textile Plant — the Ramie. 

 Mr. Frank M. Fowler, of St. Bernard county, California, made 

 some inquiries touching this new textile fabric, and was especially 

 anxious to know where the seed could be procured, as he desired to 

 test it. 



Mr. J. W. Gregory replied that there are as many different kinds 

 of ramie as of cotton. The former is propagated from roots, and Mr. 

 Gregory said he knew no party excepting Mr. J. Buckner, of New 

 Orleans, who could comply with the inquirer's request. Mr. Buck- 

 ner has plants of tine texture and they can be purchased at moderate 

 rates. Mr. Gregory remarked that he Jiimself had lately procured a 

 few plants for experiment. 



Mr. J. Buckner, of New Orleans, La., sends to the Secretary the 

 following information in relation to. this new plant : 



This new textile, lately introduced to southern agriculturists, is a 

 native of the island of Java, and was first brought to Europe for 

 investigation in 1844, where it received the botanical name of I>oeh- 

 meria Tenacissima, and by the beauty and strength of its fibre 

 attracted much attention in manufacturing circles. Since tl)at time 

 every encouragement has been given to producers in the East Indies 

 to induce them to cultivate ramie in suflScient quantity to supply the 

 demand; the result is that a considerable quantity is annually 

 received in Europe and manufactured into fabrics of the finest quality, 

 excelling in strengtli, beauty and finish, linen of the finest texture, 

 and rivaling even silk in lustre. 



Since its introduction into the United States in March, 1867, it has 

 excited mucii interest among European manufacturers. They con- 



