JETEE FIBRE; ITS GREAT STRENGTH. 805 
not only beautiful in appearance and durable, but the strongest 
of any he had met with. Some twine made with it bearing 
248 and 343 1b. in the dry and wetted states, when Hemp 
twine bore only 158 and 190 Ib. in the same states. 
Mr. W. C. Taylor since then met with the same plant 
near the Palamow coal-mines, having observed his boatmen 
twisting a substance into thread, which they called chiétee, 
of which they made nets, finding it much stronger and more 
durable than Hemp, and not so liable to rot by being kept in 
water. Mr, Taylor mentions that the stems are cut into lengths, 
and then cut down the middle; then dried, and afterwards 
steeped in water for about an hour or more, which enables the 
bark to be separated with greater ease; when the fine silky 
filaments are separated. A 1}-inch rope having been made 
and sent to Calcutta, was there tested in the Master-Atten- 
dant’s Office, and found to break with 903 lb., when even 
Europe rope broke with 1203 lb., and others with greater 
weights. Its elasticity was considerable, as it stood ninth in 
strength, but second in elasticity. It was supposed that this might 
possibly be caused by its being laid up by hand; and it was 
also observed that the result might have been better, if the 
yarns had been more easily (evenly?) laid up.” But the 
plant is suited for better purposes than rope-making, besides 
not being eligible for this purpose, from its comparative rarity 
and mode of preparation. Mr. Taylor states it might be 
easily cultivated. (v. ‘Journ. Agri-Hortic. Soc.,’ 1844, p. 221.) 
Specimens of the fibre of another species of Marsdenia, 
which has by Dr. Wight been named M. Roylei, are stated in 
the Catalogues to have been sent from Nepal to the Exhibition 
of 1851. Though the specimens have not been found, we 
may infer that the fibres of this species are made use of in 
Nepal. 
Orthanthera viminea is another plant of this family well 
calculated to yield fibre. The Author found it growing at the 
foot of the Himalayan Mountains, and mentioned it in the fol- 
lowing terms in his ‘ Himalayan Botany,’ p. 274. “ Another 
plant of this family, Orthanthera viminea, attaining a height of 
ten feet, is also remarkable for the length and tenacity of its 
fibres, This grows luxuriantly along the foot of the mountains; 
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