sa 
dde Se, CaaS ee eS a a ES ae et Pe ee ae Or 
53 
unremunerative. In the chemical processes, the Ramie stems are 
under great pressur am or wit micals, so as to dissolve the 
ich the individual fibres are imm f ing thu 
treated, the fibres easily detached from the stems by b 
stances, that China Grass can only be peace theta grown and prepared 
here there is an abundance of cheap labou 
a fact universally known, =a the fibre of the China Grass is one 
of the finest and strongest known. a process could be devised that 
act í 
prove of the greatest possible interest to all our tropical colonies. The 
China Grass plant can be grown as easily as the sugar cane, but in spite 
of aay v ertain of continuous effort, the problem how to prepare the 
on a larg pi hoe place it in the market at remunerative rates, 
is urate sil u ed. 
WwW oc numerous applications made to Kew for infor- 
mation, that i is still maintained in the utilisation of China Grass 
or Ramie, and under these circumstances it is felt to be desirable to 
place on record the latest et that have been gleaned respecting the 
present pation of the industry. 
ROYAL GARDENS, KEW, to FOREIGN OFFICE. 
SIR, Royal Gardens, Kew, April 16, 1888. 
I am desired by Mr. Thiselton-Dyer to in nform you that con- 
siderable interest is being taken in British Colonies in the culture of 
the Ramie plant, known as Rhea and China Grass (be ane nivea). 
Hithe 
g 
owing to. the want of a thoroughly suitable machine io prepare the 
fibre 
3. In the Foreign Office Report, for the year 1887, on the agriculture 
of the Barcelona district [No. 275, Annual Series, 1888], Mr. Consul 
Ca 
baea states, that in the province of Cataluña, “ Machines are 
“already in use, capa 
able of decorticating the [Ramie] fibre on a 
" akin. scale, 
Pi Thiselton-Dyer i is of opinion that it is very desirable to obtain 
from Mr. Wooldridge the names of the makers of the machines which 
appear to have successfully solved the Apone of Shape drei aR Ramie 
stens, ny particulars he could add as rds the t of the 
machines, the power necessary to drive them na the o bane of clean 
fibre per as would i of the greatest ponaiblé interest to planters 
in our tropical Colonies 
have &c. 
Sir T. Villiers Lister, K.C.M.G. (Signed) D. Morris. 
Mr. CONSUL eee to the MARQUIS OF SALISBURY. 
My LORD MARQUIS, Barcelona, April 25, 1888. 
I HAVE he honour to acknowledge the receipt of Sir James 
Fergusson’s despatch, of the 19th instant, on the subject of the machines 
used in Cataluña for decorticating the stalks of the Ramie plant ; and 
I am directed to report to your Lordship the names o of the makers of 
the machines, and to give any further — which might prove 
of interest to planters in British tropical colonies 
