236 
ae the operation. Practice makes the process a simple, perfect, 
one, and a woman can readily strip, per day, what will yield 
sen 5 lbs. of Rafia. It must be understood that the men cut the Rafia 
leaves and carry them to their homes; the women do the rest. They, - 
wever, rar ely strip more than what would yield 2lbs. of Rafia, 
because the curing of the fibre is partly accomplished the afternoon of 
the same day that it is stripped from the spear flesh. 
The strips of whitish fibre thus Santer Tanging from 2 to 4 feet and 
over in length, are spread out upon the sun to dry in loose 
bunches. When partly dry, they ex daoled a F bunches 
and spread, usually upon the roof edges of small sheds or outhouses, to 
finish curing, and are mostly carefully guarded ap ayes rain or In 
three days of good sun drying the Rafia is ready for 
I regret to say that, owing to the cupidity of the ere and traders, 
much the larger portion is marketed after only one day’s curing. The 
greener the fibre the yon the date tai hence the temptation. 
growth, and as 
it is propagated, this fact ` alone would mean its speedy and total ex- 
tinction. Within four years, local Malagasy laws have been promul- 
gated opted this terrible nit aie Yet it still exists, but ina 
surreptitious manner; or whenever they — rum, cloth, or vazaha 
finery, for which Rafia fibre alone can be bar 
. + Rafia is one of the most Serter of Madagascar products, 
finding an even more ready market than rubber or caoutchouc. The 
2 matav z 
less than the A 1 w aa e every one doing business 
in Madagascar Hiat Ratia either for 'ppeoalaaon,i in barter for goods, 
commission, or as ag 
LXXII.—RAFIA FROM WEST AFRICA—(continued). 
(Raphia vinifera, Beauv.) 
[K. B., 1895, pp. 287-288.] 
A brief account was given in the Kew Bulletin, 1895, (pp. 88-92), of 
the production of the material known as Rafia, from species of palms i 
West nte, This fibre has hitherto been exclusively iad from 
Madagase It is used for tie bands by gardeners, as well as for 
page gta ais and decorative articles 
sample of West African Rafia, Cheated from the leaflets of Raphia 
vinifera, locally known as the Bamboo palm, was brought to Kew by 
Mr. Henry Millen, Curator of the Botanic Station at Lagos, i in August 
last. The following reports were obtained on this sample : 
MESSRS. IDE AND CHRISTIE to ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 
72, Mark Lane, London, E.C. 
DEAR a Feronia 4, 1395. 
YOUR favour of yesterday and samples to hand. e latter 
show just as we formerly experienced, bad colour (i.e., Wowi in lieu 
