122 
Commodore ‘A. Eardley Wilmot, H.M. S. | * Rattlesnake. ” The fo pe 
ing note accompanies this specimen : :—“Grows abundantly, can 
“easily propagated.” ‘There is also a specimen labelled Mokosi fibre 
and leaf, probably S. cylindrica, used for soning cordage, &c., marked 
S. E. Africa , T. Baines, Esq. 
“ Specimens of fibre prepared from blañta growing at Kew, by Death’s 
fibre machine, were described by Messrs. Ide and Bi aa as follows :— 
“This is the second best fibre amongst t the samples sent, and except 
“that it does not e as strong, it is almost equal to iE. longiflora. 
“ Value 287. per ton 
. We have at Ky a oe specimen, as well as living. plants, of 
8. sulcata, which appears to be an unpublished name of 
bands or markings. A smail sample of the fibre of S. sulcata was pre- 
pared, and the brokers’ ei iad upon it was as follows :—‘ Similar to 
“fibre of Furcraea cubensis and of about equal strength. It is, how- 
ge Te, and E would is compare with Mauritius hemp. Value 
“ L 
It is Snia possible rap paer species of Sansevieria may be found 
in tropical Africa, while more or less distinct may be under 
cultivation in colonial gardens, The illustrations eee given will assist 
in the determination of the species named. Specimens of. any others 
will be ee mast for the Kew collections. 
[NOTE ADDED, 1894.—Sansevieria Kirkii has flowered at Kew is figured in 
the Botan ead Magazine H 7357). An interesting Sansevi ‘erie, P enibi as 
a. coabutghisen. chult. has been found completely naturalised at Antigua, and 
is likely to prove very tetat for fibre purposes. It has the habit of a very 
a 
c . Finally, a feet interesting s s, Sansevieria Ehrenbergii, 
5 in the next Article, has been received in ë detoa and living state from 
Somali-land. It produces peat fibre 
As regards machinery for the extraction of fibre from these plants, ti the 
subject is one of considerable importance. Machinery is in use in 
Vural and Mauritius for the Fear gn of fibre from Agave and 
Furcraea leaves, and machines are said to be made suitable. for the 
treatment of leaves of Sansevieria and others. We cannot do better, 
however, than refer to t e particular literature given on this subject. 
i ; 
n Spon’s Encyclopædia, Div. iii., pp. 923-930. 
chemical extraction of fibres from plants s there are sev 
methods aF experimental trial, some of which may prove ati : 
successful, 
