210 On the fibrous plants yielding the Grass-cloth of China. 
be watered every tenth day.. In November and December ma- 
hure it with horse or buffaloe dung, earth, straw or any rubbish, 
a foot or more thick, to protect it from cold. In March rake it 
away and expose the plant, watering it in dry weather, and using 
rubbish of any kind for manure. A caution is given never to use 
swines’ dung, as it is “saltish” and hurtful to the Ma. In the 
third or fourth year, some say in the second, the plant may be 
d. 
nting the roots—The roots are to be cut into pieces of 
_three or four fingers’ length, and are to be planted in May, half a 
yard apart, and watered « every three or four days. On the ap- 
. pearance of the blades use the hoe and water them; they will be 
mature for cutting in the second year. In the course of ten years 
the roots become unfruitful, the shoots may then be cut off, and 
if enveloped i in earth, and covered with matting, can be trans- 
:_ planted in places 30 or 40 inches distant. The ground should 
ms well prepared with manure, and freely manured after- | 
Solr 
wards: the manure being half water. Here, as before, the plants 
should be hoed from time to _ In many cases fresh earth, 
' pulverized bricks, ashes, &c., are used for manure. Some years 
the husbandman has his crop thjued by worms, he needs there- 
*fore to seek for and destroy them as they appear by picking them 
My 
wr : 
“off. It not-unfrequently happens, that the crop is in some places 
= “om temarkably: ‘small, and sometimes the produce is very great with- 
“ out dss assignable cause. 
' Cutting the Ma.—tt yields three crops every year. ‘The first 
a ieutting takes place in June. Care is to be taken not to cut the 
3 ‘ young shoots, keep therefore an inch from the ground. Inamonth 
wo, ‘thesshoots are seven or eight feet high, when the second 
patting Sake s place: do not cut the original stem. During t the 
VE part ors rey ih or in October, the last cutting is per- 
} weet a hich the finest cloth is made : the first being infe- 
Ea ef a ith t Ht 
= * year, from w 
Just described. 
ard. After each cutting, the plant is to be cov- 
, and watered ; but not day by day unless it be 
nton the. plant. is pulled up by the roots every 
fit is e ident. that it differs wide ly:from the Ma, 
Perh, eyo ‘anton is 
Pa n the middle, by which: the fibrous Pa 
“7 “from the. stall ; Sore the ng awe thus test operator, gene ] 
Pe Ba a wo oman or a child, thru Ser nails, and se on 
ibre from shes centre, to” one ‘song and. — to the othe 
- aoe a 
