VEGETABLE FIBRES. 229 



the 26th of July following, before the blossoms appeared, 

 and ending the l^th of September, when the seed was fully- 

 ripe. The fibres of these different crops were prepared in 

 different ways; viz. by macerating for a longer or shorter 

 time; by steeping immediately after being cut; by being half 

 dried; or dried as well as the season would permit, as practised 

 on the coast of Coromandel. 



The average result of these various trials will be found 

 reduced to six numbers, in the table. But it is necessary to 

 observe, that the constant wet or very damp weather, which 

 prevails in Bengal at this season, renders it almost impossible 

 to dry the plant, and must injure the quality of the fibre : indeed 

 fc!W seasons will admit of drying the plant to any extent. Va- 

 rious experiments, from half a day to half a year\s drying, and 

 keeping, were made, with the view of asgcJ^(aiiiing whether 

 steeping immediately after the plaint Was pulled, or at any 

 other period, was the best for retaining the full strength of the 

 fibre; and I have iQi^r^an to believe, tliat immediate steeping is 

 to be preferivd, at least in Bengal, during the rains. 



No. 10. This was a few square yards of sun, reared from Another sort. 

 the seed, which was received from Ganjam, on the coast of 

 Coromandel; and though sown with the rest of the seeds in 

 June, did not blossom till the close of the rains in October, 

 nor ripened its seed till January. This sort I would call 

 Winter Sun, because what is generally cultivated in Bengal, 

 requires only about three months from the time of sowing (mid- 

 dle of June) for the ripening of the seed (September). 



From the experiments made, I am led to draw the following 

 conclu'-.ions, viz. 



1st. That the fibres of this material are softer and finer when Conclusions or 

 the seed is sown thick, and the plant cut as early as the flower- general re- 

 ing season, or rather before, and that they become coarser pro- *J^^'^^ "" ^'^® 

 gressively, till the plant, which is annual, perishes. 



2d. That the fibres are at their greatest strength when the 

 seed is ripe, which corresponds with the opinion of the natives. 

 At jthis period the crop requires about one third more time to 

 complete the maceration, than if cut at the flowering-season; 

 it may amount to from 48 to 72 hours, according to thje warmth 

 of the water, and the state of the weather. Deep water re- 

 quires more time to complete the operation than shallow wa- 

 ter, which is generally some degrees warmer. 



3d. 



