246 
5. It is now my duty to ponent: sT your Lordship will be good 
enough to invite the co-operation of t e Director of the Ro yal Gardens 
and obtain an authoritative opinion on q oe ed 
av 
(Sig ee AEF MOLONEY. 
The ao Hon. ford. Knutsford, Gi C.M.G 
&e. 
eae a KEW, to COLONIAL OFFICE. 
Royal Gardens, Kew, 
SIR, February 21, 1889. 
I AM desired by Mr. Thiselton-Dyer to acknowledge the receipt 
of your letter of the 2nd instant, forwarding a copy of a despatch from 
the Governor of Lagos on the subject of a specimen of eens coir 
which he had forwarded to Kew for an opinion as to its merits. 
e specimen, consisting of a bale weighing 42 poándë: was duly 
received from the Crown Agents on the llth ultimo. Samples s were 
prepared and submitted to respectable brokers and dealers in the city, 
with a request that they would report upon the value of Lagos coir as 
compared with other coirs now in the London market 
3. The result of the inquiry is contained in hë accompanying papers. 
It would appear in the first place et = os necessary to separate coir 
fibre, as yielded by the cocoa-nut, into classes, namely, “ bristle” 
fibre and “mat” fibre. The former is aie sold at about 30/. per 
ton, and the os be about 10/. per ton. 
4. The m Lagos continet these two fibres mixed together, 
and hence it was on presented in a state suitable for sale in this country. 
lt is evident that Lagos fibre possesses no particular merit on account of 
its colour, but, on the other hand, in Messrs. Harrison and Johnson’s 
Report, it is stated to be “of very good length, which i joe its value.” 
ð. Alt noe these reports are not so encouraging as Governor Moloney 
uppose from the specimens exhibited a the late Colonial and 
Indian Eshibition, hey Arie useful hints as Sesel pn character of 
coir fibre n ecessary to command ready sale in this cou 
6. With the view of farther assisting in this di Seton, We Thiselton- 
Dyer has caused the specimens of Ceylon “ bristle ” and Ceylon “ mat,” 
forwarded by Messrs. Ide and Christie, to be sent direct A Governor 
Moloney, including “ brush ” fibre, “ mat” fibre, and “rough stuffing” 
fibre, prepared by Messrs. Toye tod Bromley from the crude Lagos 
coir, 
I &e. 
(Signed) D. MORRIS. 
The Hon, R. H. Meade, C.B. 
[Enclosure No. 1.] 
MESSRS. IDE AND CHRISTIE sto ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 
2, Mark Lane, oe E.C. 
ÑIR, February 7, 1889. 
WE are duly favoured with Mr. Jackson’s letter of the 5th inst., and 
samples of coir from Lagos. These contain soft, half-prepared “ bristle” 
fibre, used in the manufacture of brushes , mixed with short or “ mat” 
fibre. Such a mixture is unfortunate, and de tracts from the value of the 
samples, as Adige two kinds, being used for different purposes, have to be 
