644 TjiAysAcrioxs of the American Iks'ijtute. 



extracting the fiber from the tannin, or eoloi-ed astringent portion of 

 tlie bark, is tedions and infinitely more troublesome than any other 

 fiber, except, perhaps, pine apple fiber, and were it not for the exces- 

 sive value of the beautiful silk-like fiber it would never be undertaken 

 by the natives of eastern countries with their primitive and incom- 

 plete method ; which consist of beating the bark on a piece of soft 

 wood with a mallet covered with leather. The best soil for this plant 

 is a low bottom, where, however, there is no fear of flood, but where 

 the retentive powers of the subsoil are such as to guarantee a constant 

 moisture; a black loam, with a clay subsoil, is that best calculated to 

 produce a good, long, strong and fine fiber crop. After the land has 

 been well plowed and hari-owed, which should be done in April, the 

 seed is sown sparingly in rows, six inches apart, in small drills one 

 inch deep ; weed for five weeks, after whicli the plant will choke 

 down and kill anything that tries to get ahead of it. There can be 

 no doul)t that a high state of cultivation would bring forth a better 

 crop. In the month of October the cutting is generally done. As 

 soon as the seed has been rippled oft", the plant is placed in a tank or 

 pit of water — soft rain water is the best — from which it is taken out, 

 tied in small bundles, and stood on end in the field for a week or ten 

 days, after which it is spread out in the rays of the sun ; fiber not so 

 good in color, some artificially dry until thoroughly dry, hard and 

 brittle. This takes some time. It is then ready for the brake. 

 There can be no doubt as to the utility of this fiber, and also the pos- 

 sibility of its cultivation in this vast continent of so many climes, 

 and such enterprising people. The only question is, will it pay ? 

 The writer thonglit it would, and gave reasons for this opinion. 

 Specimens of the fiber, forwarded by John A. Barset, to Salem, Mass., 

 were shown, and it is understood that the seed is now being experi- 

 mented with in the gardens of the Agricultural Department at Wash- 

 ington. 



Mr. J. A. Gregory. — I have carefully examined this specimen, 

 and compared it with the ramie. They are very similar, except that 

 the rhae grass has the highest luster, and is worth more to mix with 

 silk. This whole subject has a local, but a growing importance and 

 interest. I am right, so far as we now know, in saying that a line 

 from iSTatchez to Charleston divides the true ramie country from that in 

 which the season is too short for the most profitable culture. It should 

 yield three cuttings, each of about 400 pounds per acre, or 1,200 pounds a 

 season, of clear fiber, worth now sixty cents a pound. 1 could sell twenty 



