1836.] On Rice, Wool, and Cotton, from Nepal, $c. 369 



III. Two large pieces of cloth made from the down of the Simool or 

 Tree-Cotton, Bombax heptaphyllum, from Gowahatty in Assam, the 

 place of their manufacture. 



On examining- the cloth it appears that the fine short down of the 

 Bombax has been spun into a large wove slightly twisted cord or 

 roving, and that this is made into cloth by interweaving it with a 

 warp and short of common thin cotton-thread, much in the manner 

 of carpeting. It composes a loose cloth, incapable, probably, of being 

 washed without injury, but considerably warm, very elastic, and light. 



From the shortness of the staple and the great elasticity of the 

 fibre, it is not at all probable that it could be spun by the machinery 

 now in use for spinning cotton ; but the combination which it exhi- 

 bits, of fineness of fibre with great elasticity will, no doubt, make it 

 rank high as a non-conductor of heat, and therefore fit it for making 

 wadding, and for stuffing muffs, and perhaps mattresses. When carded 

 with wool it might probably form the basis of fabrics of great warmth, 

 lightness and silky softness. 



IV. Sample of Safflower made at Myrung in Assam, by Lieut. 

 Rutherford. 



The Committee not wishing to rely entirely on their own judg- 

 ment in this case, more especially as the whole quantity placed at 

 the disposal of the Society is not enough for a satisfactory compa- 

 rative trial either on silk or on cotton, have availed themselves of the 

 opinion of several dyers and brokers, the concurrence of whose judg- 

 ment with that of the Committee induces them to consider it as 

 correct. 



Mr. Grieve, silk dyer, of Booth Street, considers the sample to be 

 clear and of good quality. 



Messrs. Racine and Jaques, silk dyers, of Spitalfields, consider 

 the sample to possess a fair proportion of colour, though not of equal 

 quality with the best from Bengal. 



Messrs. Johnson and Rennky exhibited to the Commute samples 

 of safflower from different places and of various qualities. They stated 

 that the best Indian comes from Dacca, of which there are two varie- 

 ties, one from Paturaghauta, and the other from Billespour ; the former 

 of which is the more valuable to the amount of about 20 per cent. 



Mr. Renney stated, that during his residence in India he paid 

 much attention to the preparation of this dying drug. The time for 

 gathering the flowers is near the end of the dry season, when the 

 tanks are almost exhausted ; in consequence of which, the water 

 employed to wash the safflower is generally muddy and swarming 

 with animalculae : hence it happens that the cakes, though packed in 

 3 B 



