CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE INTRO- 

 DUCTION OF RAMIE CULTIVATION INTO PERAK. 



(British Resident, to Curator of the Peralc Museum.) 



British Bi'.sinENCY, Perak, 



2Qth Noremlicr, 189(5. 

 Dkar Wray, 



You have probably seen a copy of this,* and have of course kejjt 

 yourself abreast of the latest that has been written about rhea and ramie. 

 Can you favour the Government with an official memorandum on the 

 subject? What kind we have here, whether indigenous, its value, what 

 used for locally, prospects of native cultivation and exportation of dried 

 ribbons, prospects of European planters and preparation on the spot, soil, 

 suitable seasons, methods, and the points which you niay think it will be 

 for the good of the State to make public in English or in Malay .... 

 In the Secretary to Government's Office there is a copy of an Indian Agri- 

 cultural Ledger on the subject, which I will have sent to you, but I do not 

 think it is much up to date. 



Yours sincerely, 



L. Wray, Jun., {Signed) W. H. Treacher. 



Perak Museum. 



{Curator, Perak Museum, to British Resident.) 



Taiping, Perak, 



20th Decemher, 1896. 

 Dear Mr. Treacher, 



1 have hunted up all the information I can on the subject of ramie, 

 and have come to the conclusion that planting it in Perak would not pay. 

 I enclose a part of my notes for you to read, and should like to know what 

 you think had better be done in the matter. It is taking a great responsi- 

 bility to recommend planters to cultivate a product which, according to the 

 information now available, is not likely to cover expenses. On the other 

 hand the information may be incorrect, and therefore it is inadvisable to 

 prevent anyone from trying experiments in the cultivation. 



Yours truly, 

 W. H. Treachkr, Esq., c.m.g., {Signed) L. Wray. Jun. 



The Residency, Taiping. 



* The book was "Rhea, its CultivatloH, Decorfication and Baling, and the subse- 

 quent Treatment of the Rihhons by the ' Gomess' process," compiled under tlie 

 direction of the Rhea Kibre Treatment Company, Limited, by B. Ribbentrop, 

 Inspector -General of Forests, India. Tliis (, oli advcxiates the prixUietion of ril)l)oii 

 by planters for sale to tlie Gomess Comiiany. Tlie cost of cultivation is estimat(xl 

 £i and the selling price in tlie East at 47 per ton of ribbon. 



