648 



1 , - , 



from India, the crops have been very good, notably in the 

 Nairobi and the Kikviyu districts, especially when grown in 

 damp localities or in irrigated fields ; but ribbons not exported 

 to any extent (up to 1906), and experiments in degumming and 

 decortication being carried out (Lc. 1906, p. 276), receiving 

 considerable attention and shows signs of, doing well with 

 a prospect of a considerable future, if the decorticating and 

 degumming could be overcome and the demand proved large 

 and consistent (Col. Rep. Ann. No. 519, 1907, p- 18), about 

 70 acres at Pangani (G. E. Africa), but here as elsewhere the 

 industry is retarded by want of a suitable decorticating machine 

 (Bull. Imp. Inst. 1903, p. 132), experiments have been carried 

 on to a noteworthy extent in Aiuscha (G. E. Africa) (I.e. 1915, 

 p. 125). Ramie fibre from the Belgian Congo (1917) was reported 

 as being 3-4 ft. long, of poor lustre, not readily saleable in 

 Europe as manufacturers prefer to degum the fibre themselves, 

 but that it should be saleable in the form of scra|)ed ribbons, 

 similar to those of Commercial '^ China Grass " (I.e. 1917, p. -193). 



The above instances are but a few of the many that could 



experiments 



seems. 



to have undergone Httle alteration since 1895 when it was 



stated — '^ for more 



ommercial 



Grass is still, however, in the stage of expectancy and purelj 

 experimental plots are common everywhere (Morris, Journ. Soc. 



1895 ; reprint p. 10). The main difficulties that appear 



Hii 



met 



cost of cultivation — the yield of useful fibre from the stalks 

 being comparatively lower than that of other textile fibres — 

 degumming, inflammabiHty, and low market prices. Various 



me 



the fibre — machinery, chemical, by the aid of steam. Bacteria, 

 and Petroleum soap, [see Kew Bull., Works by Watt, Coventry, 

 Carter, Goulding, &c. seq,] In China, from whence our chief 

 commercial supplies of fibre come, the preparation is all done 

 by hand — the bark is stripped off into ribbons which are retted 

 (for 2 hours in water) scraped and dried. It afterwards receives 

 no further treatment beyond sorting for length ; but for bahng 

 shippers at Haiikow and Shanghai use hydraulic presses and 

 fibre exported from these ports, may be so treated before being 

 re-shipped. There are three quaHties determined by the length 

 of fibre — first quality 30-40 in., second quality 20-30 in. and 

 third quality less than 20 in. ; the fibre is tied up in bundles, 

 a rope of the Ramie itself being used as a binder (Cons. Rep. 

 No. 5309, 1914, "Trade of Kiukiang, p. 9). 



In the Trade returns the quotations are for *' Rhea '^ and 

 '' China Grass " — the former ** decorticated ribbons " and the 

 latter '' unbleached or more or less cleaned fibre " (Watt, Agric. 



Led 



