63 
XXIII.—RAMIE—(continued). 
(Boehmeria nivea, Hk. & Arn.) 
[K. B., 1888, pp. 297-298.] 
The difficulties attending the development of the Ramie industry 
appear to be not confined alone to preparing the fibre as detailed in 
the preceding pages. It is also ve that those who have in a measure 
been successful in preparin bre in commercial quantities are 
disappointed with the reception this fibre has received at the hands of 
spinners and manufacturers. Ina word, it is found that Ramie fibre 
when — is practically unsaleable in the London market at the 
present tim A ne interested in Ramie estates wrote to 
Kew a eee time ago: 
” ia have spent ee ae on Ramie, but as yet cannot see our 
“ way to commercial succ We have produced excellent filasse, but 
- the cost has been far Heid Shitty and the chief difficulty seems to rest 
“ not in the production of filasse, many systems [if the cin of cost 
“ is set aside] have accomplished this, but in the spinning of the filasse 
“ into yarn. No British manufacturing firm appears willing to take up 
“ this rn aN on terms that would practically give them the 
“& monopoly ; y also ie a guaranteed minimum of raw material 
“ which we rn giv 
In a subsequent acs the same correspondent states :— 
“ I am beginning to think that the only way to succeed with Ramie 
“ is to follow M. Favier’s system described in the Kew Bulletin, p. 148, 
“on to manufacture. Then it will pay right well. At present the 
“ filasse that would suit one manufacturer would be useless to nine 
“ others, who would want it prepared differently.” 
nother correspondent, in a letter dated the 14th November, from a 
en point of view, appears to confirm the experience detailed 
abov 
“ k pa fied ee Sigs ane last there is an article upon Ramie 
a fi Hav 
“ enclosed sample. With our present appliances we could undertake to 
“ deliver it at from ten to twenty cwts. weekly. So far we have not 
; to find any man e prepared 
“ material has been sent sena If you can render me any assistance 
“ it will be esteemed a 
Since the receipt of te pares Kew has been favoured by Messrs. 
Ide aaa Christie, the well-known firm of fibre brokers in the City, with a 
copy of their monthly circular dated the 15th November. In this 
circular, under the head of China Grass and Ramie, it is stated :— 
“On the 31st ulto. a large parcel consisting of about 130 tons 
“ribbons and 20 tons Ramie or Rhea in various es of preparation, 
“ were put up for public sale, practically without reserve, and after 
“ being widely announced. The prices realised, viz., 8/. to 9/. per ton 
“ for the ribbons, and 207. to 25/, ‘for the filasse, were most disappointing, 
“ and testified to the languid interest which this material possesses for 
