10 EXTENT OF IMPORTS OF HEMP AND FLAX. 
from Calcutta, probably for packing some of the cotton produced 
in its own provinces. 
As calculated to show the great importance of the commerce 
in fibrous materials, and also the extent of the interests 
involved in their growth and manufacture, as well as interesting 
for comparison with the exports from India, we insert here 
an account of the quantities of Hemp and of Flax imported 
into the United Kingdom for two years, that is, 1801 and 
1853. A comparison of these will show the great increase in 
the imports of these two articles during the last half-century : 
FLAX and TOW, 
or CODILLA of HEMP and FLAX. 
Years. 
From Russia. |From other Parts.) From all Parts. 
Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. 
1801 188,106 85,613 273,719 
1853 1,294,827 607,650 1,902,477 
HEMP UNDRESSED. 
1801 682,175 67,171 749,346 
1853 806,396 412,374 1,218,770 
Other fibres which were tried and made known at the above 
period, still remain unnoticed in Europe, and seem even to 
have been forgotten by the Indian community. This must be 
ascribed, on one side to the long peace having rendered manu- 
facturers here indifferent to distant sources of supply ; while in 
India the changing nature of European society, causes things 
familiar to all at one period, to become totally unknown only 
a few years afterwards. This effect is further promoted by the 
entire neglect of the Natural Sciences, which treat of these 
and other products as parts of general education. It would 
seem to be thought, that the earth we tread on, the air we 
breathe, and the animal and vegetable worlds by which we are 
fed and clothed, are not worthy objects of attention nor sources 
of valuable information. Not only are they so, but they are 
as well calculated as any other studies to train the mind to 
habits of correct observation, of careful induction, and of 
methodical arrangement. It is sometimes said, that these are 
subjects for professional rather than for general education. 
