241 
MESSRS. IDE AND CHRISTIE to ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 
72, Mark Lane, London, E.C., 
DEAR SIR, June 23, 1891. 
WE have your favour of yesterday’s date with specimen of fibre 
said to be prepared from the pinne of leaves of the African oil palm 
Eleis guineensis. 
This fibre has been known to se for the last 15 years at lza but 
only from small samples such as you send us. It has n r bee en 
received in romeo ues quantity to our knowledge, and Hike no 
practical experiments have ever been made with it. Some spinners to 
whom it was shown, hos the first PE came to hand, age E 
opinion that it was too hard and gritty to spin readily, but 
inclined to think this view might have been modified net ‘hey jai the 
opportunity of testing it practically. It has great sete and fineness, 
ee if really spinnable we would value it at 50/. to 60/. per ton to-day 
in London 
We should be ees to learn there is a prospect of this fibre being 
— and sent home in ee ity, so that its actual value aa be 
as we have "said, afforded no means of arriving at this. 
We desire to thank you for sending us also some fresh pinnex of Hieis 
guineensis, and it will afford the writer much pleasure if his examina- 
tion of them should lead to his ane at any further opinion of the 
fibre worth communicating to yo 
Yours faithfully 
D: eek Esq., M.A., 4 ae S., (Signed) IDE AND Curiste. 
3o Gardens, Kon 
ROYAL GARDENS, KEW, to COLONIAL OFFICE. 
Royal Gardens, Kew 
SIR, September 4, 1891, 
+ * 
other atai on which information might be obtained tiii 
the Goverment of Lagos is the eames of fibre from the leaves of 
the oil palm, A specimen o said to have been obtained from 
re, 
locally applied. It would also be desirable to obtain leaves in different 
stages of preparation, a good quantity of the raw fibre, and any articles 
such as cords, fishing lines, nets, or cloth made from the fibre, for the 
use of this establishmen 
I have, &e. 
(Signed) D. MORRIS, 
The Hon. R. H. Meade, C.B., Assistant Director. 
Colonial Office, S.W. 
8895 
Q 
