J^egetahle Materials for Cordage, ^c. 29 



Milburn says that the island of Salsette produces two sorts of hemp^ 

 one resembling the sun-plant, but preferred thereto, when great 

 strength is required ; it is the best substitute for hemp yet known. 

 (Vol. 1. p. 283.) The botanical name of the plant yielding it, is not 

 given. 



2. Musa textilis.— For several years past, a fibrous material un- 

 der the name Manilla hemp, has been largely imported into the Uni- 

 ted States, and worked up into glossy white cordage for hawsers and 

 running rigging. Having four years since, accidentally met with a 

 store full of it, I was led to attempt to find out the vegetable that 

 yielded it, but failed to obtain the least information. The mercantile 

 men made no inquiries in the port where they shipped the article, 

 and were satisfied with the good returns derived from bringing it 

 home, I knew it could not be the fibre of the hemp of Europe and 

 North America, having been long familiar with the fact, that neither 

 hemp nor flax are cultivated in any part of India, or the Indian is- 

 lands, for cordage,* but the particular vegetable yielding the fibre, 

 could not be ascertained. Having however been recently consulted 

 on a question arising at the Philadelphia custom house, respecting 

 the nature of some Indian cordage, and a cordage material from the 

 same quarter, I determined to renew my inquiries, and despairing of 

 acquiring any knowledge from men, I resolved to consult every book 

 on India, within my reach. The second work I examined, was 

 " Crawfurd's account of the Indian Archipelago," and the first vol- 

 ume of it relieved me from my ignorance. According to this author,, 

 the fibre of Manilla hemp is obtained from the Musa textilis,^ a 

 species of wild banana, growing abundantly in the northern spice isl- 

 ands, and in the Phillippines, particularly in Mindanao. The length 



for plough lines, halters, bed cords, &c. The " tier" was also full of shaws, and 

 weak. These defects doubtless arise in part from the slovenly preparation of the 

 fibre. The brake and hackle would certainly turn it out in a more perfect state, al- 

 though they could not alter the strength of the fibre. 



* Hemp and flax have been cultivated in India from the earliest times, for the oit 

 produced from the seeds; but the chief object of attention to the first, is owing to 

 the general use made of the leaves for smoking in pipes, either alone or mixed with 

 tobacco ; and for making an intoxicating preparation from them called bang, which 

 is smoked with tobacco. In Sumatra, according to Marsden, the same practice pre- 

 vails, and hemp is there extensively cultivated for this purpose. 



1 Dr. Roxburgh says, that " the species of Musa, which we call Coccinea, yields 

 what is called Manilla hemp \ at least it was sent to me from China as that plant." 

 — Trans. Soc. Arts, Vol. xxiv, p. 153. 



