46 
from the fruit. This is nearly 5 inches long, and not thicker than 
4inch. With the seeds, you will be able to raise some plants. e 
roots during winter are covered with water, and in summer I should 
say are almost dry. Itisin immense quantities in this Mesos hes 
in marshy ground. The natives call the cloth Katan, but this is the 
Persian name for linen and pas fabrics indiscriminately. We week 
xg a to get the true Turki n 
rsyth, in his Yarkand chews ‘mentions a cloth called “Luf.” I 
feel + sure this is the same. Native information said it was produced 
from a plant that had a fruit like the Liquoric 
ual shoots, growi n oming to perfection 
India. The fibre I have sent you is merely what I collected on the 
stalks, but, of course, if collected at the proper season, it would be of 
much better quality—as it is, it is very good. 
am, &c: 
(Signed) J. E. T. AITCHISON. 
XVIII.—_STREBLUS PAPER. 
(Streblus asper, Lour.) 
[K. B., 1888, pp. 81-84. ] 
The preparation of paper and gren cloth from the bark of the Paper 
Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) is a circumstance which is well 
known. Various arae asenti the uses of the bark of this 
plant, exist in the Mus of Economic Botany at Kew from China, 
ri eee and the Pacific Tale It appears that in Siam paper ve 
imilar in character to that prepared from Broussonetia, is obtained 
frais Streblus asper, Lour. This latter is a tree widely distributed 
throughout India, Ceylon, and tropical Asia, where it is known under 
a variety of native names. It does not appear, however, that it is used 
for paper making to any appreciable extent in any country except 
iam. 
ollowing correspondence, which has taken place between this 
establishment and the Foreign She e, contains practically all the 
available information on the subject 
“ Kew, 25th April 1887. 
“T the honour to inform you that I observe in the Paper 
5 Mikes Monthly Journal an account, based on information acquired 
“ by the late Sir Richard Schomburgk, of the manufacture of paper in 
“ Siam from the bark of Streblus asper (otherwise Trophis aspera), 
** a tree locally known as Ton-Khoi 
“It is stated that t legal doca menik and Government Tenis ani 
are written on paper made from this material. Black paper, written 
upon with tale, is also stated to be used for rough drafts 
* The tree is a common one in the East generally, and it therefore 
seems worth while to obtain some information about its use in the 
manufacture of paper. The Museum of the Royal Gardens possesses 
* no eae aed illustrative either of the raw material or of the product 
“ derived from it. 
& $ venture, therefore, to express the hope that. the Secretary of 
“ State will approve of the kind offices of the Minister Resident at 
i tee AN 
