75 
to Europe. In any case, once a Ramie industry is well started, there 
can be no doubt that numerous countries will seek a share in it, and only 
those possessing special advantages for the growth of the e plant, a supply 
of cheap labour, and good facilities for transport and shipment, can hope 
to make it a success. 
The best market for Ramie at present appears to be aang What 
little is imported into this country, in the form of ree na Grass, or Rhea 
is bought up for the French market. In the Monthly Cinema of 
Messrs. Ide and Christie for the 15th October 1889, Chi a Grass i 
quoted “‘ peti ” at 31s. to 35s. per cwt.; and Rhea, “no “soe Batt èn 
14s. to 10s. per cwt. 
With regard to what is known in commerce as “ China Grass,” this is 
hand-cleaned api shipped usually from Chinese ports. It arrives in 
this country in small parcels, na yearly importation being only about 
100 tons. Tt is is nearly all taken up by Continental buyers. Rhea is the 
term applied to machine-cleaned ‘fibre, Smo es the form of ribbons 
or half-cleaned stuff. The price is muc i tha China Grass, and in 
case of large shipments would probably at pier | about 7/. or 8/. per 
ton. It is important therefore for Ramie planters to aim at the produc- 
tion of ribbons at a cost not exceeding about 4/. or 5/. at the port of 
shipment. Important elements in such produ ae would be to plant 
Ramie only in places where the soil and ‘olisteate will allow of three or 
four crops being reaped per annum; where labour is very cheap and 
abundant, and where good facilities exist for transport and shipment. 
RRIS. 
XXV.—RAMIE—(continued). 
(Boehmeria nivea, Hk. & Arn.) 
[K. B., 1889, pp. 284-287.] 
The report on the results of the trials of machines and methods f 
decorticating Ramie stems, held at Paris on the 23rd September 1889, 
is given in the preceding pages 
is evident from this report that considerable progress has been 
made towards a solution of the problems involved in the treatment of 
Ramie fibre, and it remains for kak interested in the subject in India 
and the Colonies, to initiate locally such further experimental trials of 
machines and methods as will determine, with an abundance of green 
stems at hand, whether Ramie fibre can now be made available for 
commercial enterprise 
The Foreign Office has Cove Lae: the following letter addressed 
to Lord Lytton, Her Majesty’s Ambassador at 
Crowe, C.B., Commercial Atiaché f for pr Snrope, respecting the results of 
the trials of Ramie fibre machines 
My i ris, October 29th, 1889. 
TH reference to Lord Salisbury’s Despatch (No. 124 of the 
23rd satan on > subject of the awards and official reports in the 
matter of Rhea fibre-cleaning machines at a Universal Exhibition, 
I have the honour to enclose copies of the general list of awards which 
has just been made public, to ee I have added a list of the special 
awards for decortication of Ramie fibre 
