RHEKA FIBRE OF ASSAM. 3849 
paratively in its infancy as to cultivation, but being a perennial 
the expense attending other fibrous plants is not incurred ; 
and if this process, instead of scraping and peeling, will furnish 
its fibre clear of its mucilaginous coat, you may rejoice in the 
acquisition of the invention ; for we have found the fibre stronger 
than Russian Hemp of the best description ; and by some further 
improvements of this person’s invention it has been brought to 
a thread, preferable to the best material in Europe for Brussels 
lace.” 
So that at that time one of the most important applications 
of this fibre was well known. 
Rheea of Assam ; Kunkhoora of Rungpore. (Urtica tenncessimi.) 
The above very valuable plant was for some time lost 
sight of. But attention having been directed, by Major 
Jenkins and the officers employed with him in Assam, to 
the fibrous plants of that valley, Major Hannay and Capt. 
Dalton were induced to cultivate a small portion of land with 
this fibre ; and the former having prepared ten bales of a fibre 
which he called Rheea fibre, and five bales of another called 
Bon Rheea, and eleven of these having been sent to the Court of 
Directors of the East India Company, were referred to the 
Author to report upon. This he did to the following effect : 
“ The Rheea fibre forwarded by the Government of Bengal 
as the produce of Assam in order that its properties and value 
may be correctly ascertained in this country, appears to me 
likely to prove one of the most valuable products of India, for 
in strength it far exceeds the best Hemp, and in fineness it 
rivals superior kinds of Flax. Its culture is well known to 
the natives of Assam as well as ofthe districts of Rungpore, 
of Dinagepore, also in Burma, Siam, and of other Eastern 
countries and islands. It can now be produced and sold with 
profit at as cheap a rate as Russian Hemp.’ If any machine 
could be invented for facilitating the separation of the fibre 
from the woody part of the stalks, the Rheea would speedily 
undersell all other fibres, as from four to five crops of fibre can 
be obtained from the same plants within the year. 
1 This is probably at present incorrect, from the Author misunderstanding a pas- 
sage in Major Hannay’s report. (v. p. 352.) 
