116 RAMIE CULTIVATION IN PERAK. 



per ton £35. That same manufactiii-er has valued my sample at £32 per 

 ton, so you may take this figure as quite authoritative. 



" I do not advocate the extraction of the whole of the gum at the 

 place of growth. It is better not to overdo it and leave a few per cent, say 

 5 to per cent of the gum in the fibre, to be removed by the manufacturer 

 when he puts the fibre through the softening process as a preliminary to 

 the combing and spinning. 



" With regard to the cost of producing the fibre, that, as you are well 

 aware, varies according to circumstances. As a man of practical knowledge 

 and common sense ideas in relation to this matter, you are fully aware 

 that the cost of growing and decorticating ramie must, of necessity vary, 

 according to the place and circumstances, but calculating everything very 

 liberally indeed, I am of opinion that ramie can easily be produced at 

 £14 per ton of dry fibre exactly like the sample enclosed, and I have no 

 doubt that under certain favoiirable circumstances the price can be 

 reduced to £12 per ton. I add, for the expense of packing, shijjping to 

 London, Agents' commission, a round sum of £5 per ton, which is 

 liberal, and the figures at present before me ai-e that a fibre costing net 

 here £19 per ton will easily fetch £32, less 2^ per cent, in this market. 



" Referring to my to-day's sample, whatever you do with fibre in that 

 state causes it to weigh less, and to fetch a higher price in this market. 

 Supposing you were to partially de-gum it and were to take, out the 

 gum — equal to 20 per cent of its weight, this would immediately raise the 

 price to about £39 per ton. The cost of de- gumming, say £3 per ton, 

 would raise the price to £42 per ton. The fibre in that condition would 

 fetch here from £48 to £50 per ton, de]iending largely on the mode of 

 de- gumming. You would also have an additional profit fi"om saving of 

 freight." 



I remain, Dear Sir, 



Yours faithfully, 



(Signed) E. Mathieu. 



SiGLAP Estate, Singapore, 

 L. Wray, Jcn. Esq., 12(/i April, 1898. 



Perak Museum. 



Dear Sir, 



I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 5tli instant, which 

 reached me just .after mine dated 7th had left me. 



Regarding the sample of fibre which I sent you, I had it in my mind, 

 but somehow forgot, to refer to a r.tatement of Dr. Morris in his Travers 

 lecture on the 30th November last. 



He is reported to have said — " Crops weighing 15 to 20 tons can be 

 produced per acre in a year. This quantity would yield ribbands or raw 

 fibre of the present value of £8, or filasse the finished fibre worth about 

 £14 per ton." 



It is on the words in italics I wish to draw your attention. The 

 words "filasse" or "finished" fibre would convey to any clear minded 

 person the idea of a fibre ready for spinning, and if such a product were 

 vtorth only £14 per ton, well, that would settle once and for all the 



