URTICA NIVEA, OR CHINA-GRASS. 345 
thread and cord is made for the use especially of fishermen. 
In the Society Islands, also, cord is made with the fibres of 
U. argentea ; and in Japan, the bark of the species called 
U. Japonica, is employed in making lines, cordage, and cloth. 
Curna-crass, Rages, on Ramue Fisre (Urticacee). 
China, Ché or Tchou Ma; Japan, Tsjo, Karao; Sumatra, Caloee; Malay, Ramee ; 
in Bonoa, Jnan ; on East Celebes, Gambe ; Rungpore, Kunkhoora and Kunchoora ; 
Assam, Rheea; in Shaw, Pan. 
The species which is most famous among these Nettles 
for its fibre is that called Urtica nivea, but now Boehmeria 
nivea, Kempfer, in his ‘Ameenitates Exot.,’ gives Mao, Tsjo, 
Karao, as the Japan names of the plant; and Thunberg says 
of it, copying from him: “Cortex pro funibus conficiendis, 
et filis validis ad texturas, expetitur;” and ‘‘H seminibus 
oleum causticum exprimitur.” 
Though we have now abundance of information on the sub- 
ject, in place of the hints we formerly had, it is only within 
the last few years that Sir W. Hooker has published, in the 
‘Kew Journ. of Botany,’ vol. i, p. 25; and vol. iii, p. 318, that 
he has obtained satisfactory information, through Sir George 
Staunton and Dr. Wallich, that the so-called China-grass is 
the fibre of this Urtica nivea of Linneus, the Boehmeria nivea 
of Gaudichaud. 
Though the beautiful fabric known as China-grass cloth 
has long been known, its fibre has only in comparatively recent 
times attracted much attention, and the plant producing it was 
long unknown. When imported, however, into this country, 
it sold for 60 to 80, and even for £120 aton. It can be, at 
most times, had at Ningpo for about 6 dollars a picul of 133 
pounds. The above high prices following every demand, have 
prevented this fibre from coming into general use for our manu- 
factures. But a small black, almost invisible spot, which 
occasionally occurs on the fibre has also prevented its use for 
fine purposes. 
Though the plant was not known botanically, full descrip- 
tions of the mode of preparing the fibre are given in Chinese 
- works. One of these accounts was translated and transferred 
to the ‘Journ. of the Hortic. Soc. of London, in vol. iv, 
part iv, under the head of the Cultivation and Preparation of 
