124 
XL.—_SANSEVIERIA FIBRE FROM SOMALI-LAND. 
(Sansevieria Ehrenbergii, Schweinf.) 
[K. B., 1892, pp. 129-132.] 
The increased attention devoted to the production of white rope fibres 
in the Western hae appears to have had a stimulating effect also in 
the East Indie The production of fibre from Agave vivipara in 
Bombay and Manila is now followed by a fibre piee from Somali- 
land from a singular species of Sansevieria. This fibre was first 
received in this country as an “ Aloe ” fibre. It was soon noticed, how- 
ever, that it possessed characteristics differing from all ordinary “ Aloe” 
fibres, = an inquiry made by this establishment through the Foreign 
Office has shown that it is one of the many so-called Bow-string H 
and pecichly yielded by Sansevieria Ehrenbergit, a plant first 
collected by Dr. Schweinfurth, and of which little or see was 
known until it was described ‘by Mr. J. G. Baker, F.R.S., in Journal 
of the Pinte Society, xiv. p. 549. Its locality is he stated as 
“between Atbara and the Red Sea.” The details in regard to its 
utilisation as a fibre plant are aan in the following correspon- 
e :— 
ROYAL GARDENS, KEW, to FOREIGN OFFICE. 
Royal Gardens, Kew, March 29, 1892. 
I AM directed by Mr. Thiselton-Dy er to acknowledge the receipt 
of a copy of a Report on the Aloe Fibre of Somali-land, [Foreign 
Office Miscellaneous Series, No. 225, 1892,] communicated to this 
establishment. 
2. This Report is of an interesting character. It would be desirable 
Pa obin a aea e sample of the fibre for the Museums of Economic 
tan 
It Sold be useful also to obtain a large leaf from the plant yen 
the fibre and, if possible, a few small plants for growing in the 
collection. 
The leaf and young plants would travel very well in a dry box 
without. any packing, and provided with holes in the sides for 
“Thise selton-Dyer trusts that the Secretary of State will approve 
of the kind offices of Lieutenant-Colonel Stace being invited to obtain 
the specimens mentioned, and I am to add that this establishment will 
be prepared to pay any RR TP expenses that gr be incurred. 
č: 
Signed "D. MOR 
Sir Villiers Lister, K.C.M.G., ab a ssistant Dicken 
Foreign Office. 
Sir E. BARING to the MARQUIS OF SALISBURY. 
My LORD, Cairo, February 17, 1892. 
I HAVE the honour to forward herewith to your Lor dship a 
Report by Lieutenant-Colonel E, V. Stace, Her Ma sjestyi . Consul at 
Aden, regarding the-Aloe Fibre of the Somali Coast Sery 
I 
(Signed) ve ‘BARING. 
