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SELECTED PAPERS from the “KEW BULLETIN.” 
VEGETABLE FIBRES. 
I.—BUAZE FIBRE. 
(Securidaca longipedunculata, Fres.) 
[K. B., 1889, pp. 222-225.] 
Securidac a longipedu inculata, Fres., is a much branched divaricate 
shrub, sometimes growing to a height "of 8 to 10 feet, belonging to the 
natural order Polygalee, and distributed through Upper and Lower 
stem, cross sections of which show layers of fibrous bark between 
layers of wood. 
Buazé fibre sems to have been first introduced to notice by Dr. 
Livingstone in 1857. In his Missionary Travels and aam eches in South 
Africa, published in that year, he says (p. 645) t + he submitted a 
small Sealy of the fibre to Messrs. Pye Mer Pang tis London, who 
reported from 80, Lombard Street, under date 20th March 1857 :—“ The 
* Buaze evidently possesses a very strong and fine fibre, assimilating 
“ to flax in its character, but we ae when treated in quantity by our 
“ process it EAE show both a stronger and finer fibre than flax ; but, 
“ being unable to apply the nollie or Sng processes with efficiency 
“ to so very small a quantity, the gums are not yet so perfectly extracted 
“ as they would be, nor the fibre opened out to so fine a quality as it 
“ would then exhibit.” 
The opinion obtained by Messrs. Pye Brothers from Messrs. Marshall, 
of Leeds, was as follows :—“ The Buazé fibre appears to resemble flax, 
“ and as prepared by you will be equal to flax worth 507. or 60/. per 
“ ton, but we could hardly speak positively to the value unless we had 
“ one cwt. or two cwt. to try on our machinery. Ont we think 
“ the result is promising, and we hope further inquiry will be made as 
“ to the probable supply of the material. 
Dr. Livingstone adds that the plant is stated to grow in large quantities 
in the ‘ Maravi country, north of the Zambesi, but it is not cultivated, 
“ and that the only known use it has been put to is in making t threads 
“ on which the natives string their beads. Elsewhere the split tendons 
“ of animals are employed for this purpose. This seems to be o y 
“ strength, for a firm thread of it feels like catgut in the hand, and 
“ would rather cut the fingers than break.” 
Dr. Livingstone’s original fragmentary specimen of the Buazé plant, 
which consisting merely of foliage, was indeterminable at the time, exists 
in the Kew Herbarium. The botanical identification is due to Sir John 
