70 
It will be noticed that the Fleury-Moriceau process follows somewhat 
on similar lines that of the Favier process of 1882. In this latter 
the stems were steamed for some time in a close fitting cylinder. The 
former is, however, much simpler, and requires absolutely no skilled 
labour, [no chemicals], nor any SGAE grcepta an open tank, nee or small, 
according to the circumstances of the grow 
The inventors of the Fleury-Moriceau process are evidently of 
opinion = wherever sr labour is se it is in every way 
preferable, in the production of Ramie ribbons, to the best machine. 
After all, clams the Ramie stems in =e sete is only a modification 
of the old retting process practised so long by the Chinese, and by 
means of which probably the China grass of commerce is still produced. 
s of a. 
There the ryots might grow Ramie in small a prepare the ribbons 
and sell them to merchants for export, or to a neighbouring factory or 
usine. The st g process of M. Favier, eae for use under similar 
TETS failed no doubt on account of the restrictions placed on 
the use of the patent, and the uncertainty of the demand for ribbons. 
The tocar process re-opens the question under circum 
stances much more favourable, and the subject is one which donerees 
careful consideration wherever labour is sufficiently abundant to permit 
of ribbons crim produced at a price that will compete with machine- 
cleaned ribbon 
The relative value of the several machines, and of the Fleury- 
Moricean process, tried at Paris in 1889, may be gathered from the 
following tables :— 
TABLE 1.—FIRST SERIES of TRIALS. Green stems, without leaves. 
Estimated 
` Quantity of 
No. of | Weight : Quantity | Dry Ribbons 
Machine. Hands eae ‘i a d Ribbons eter 
employed.| (Kilo) | | Produced.| “To houra 
: (Kilos,) (pounds 
Avoir.).* 
Armand-Barbier wee | 2 | 10 6m 1-300 96 
Favier (No.1)... .. {| 2 10 42m 820 276 
Michotte E E 2 7 lm. 1-000 — 
de Landtsheer (large 2 36 234 0-006 
baer oy lm 10-000 1,763} 
Fleury - Moriceau pro- 2 18 46 m, 5:600 161 
cess, 
* In preparing this estimate the wet ribbons are calculated to yield one-third of 
nmi sem of dry ribbons, and the kilo. is taken as equivalent to 2°204 pounds 
oir, 
+ This large yield of ribbons must be reduced tot 
the pith and wood lightly adhering to them g My Sont 2 per opit. on Apobnst © 
