making, weaving into textile fabrics (by itself, or as an admixture 

 with other fibres of softer and finer character), and is also capable 

 of being made into excellent paper. 



Professor Charles R. Dodge, of the Department of Agriculture, 

 New York, one of the greatest authorities on the subject of 

 Fibres, and wlio examined the samples sent to Philadelphia 

 in 1876, speaks well of this so-called " Queensland Hemp," and 

 particularly of a sample sent by Mr. Alexander McPherson, of 

 Brisbane. He says — " It is very white and lustrous, the fila- 

 ments fine and even ; in a portion of the sample the ribbon-like 

 character of the bark is retained, filled with delicate indentations, 

 giving it a lace-like appearance. These ribbons of fibre break 

 easily, but a twisted cord of the finer prepared fibre, the size of 

 cotton wrapping twine of the shops, broke only after repeated 

 trials with the hands." Dr. Forbes Watson, another acknow- 

 ledged authority, says, in the Descriptive Catalogue of the East 

 Indian Department, International Exhibition, 1862 : — "It is similar 

 to jute in appearance, but intrinsically so superior that it is worth 

 from £5 to £6 more per ton," and places it next to that fibre in 

 order to attract to it the attention which it deserves. Professor 

 Dodge adds that experiments with the fibre demonstrated the 

 fact that a cord half an inch in circumference would sustain a 

 weight of 400 lbs.; and in speaking of Dr. Roxburgh's samples 

 from India, Royle says — " The filaments are from 4 to 5 feet in 

 length and display a fine soft and silky fibre, as well adapted 

 for spinning as jute, but infinitely superior." It is a semi-de- 

 ciduous shrub, 3 to 5 feet high, and should yield a handsome 

 return if extensively cultivated, as it is content with a moderately 

 good soil and requires no particular skill in preparing the fibre for 

 market. 



The Abutilons, or " Lantern flowers," are well-known garden 

 shrubs, of quick growth and robust habit. There are of these 

 six samples of fibre, several of which have been valued by experts 

 at £10 to £20 per ton. Mr. Lefranc, of Philadelphia, states that 

 some of the Abutilons are good for weaving tissues and for mixing 

 with a certain class of woollen goods. 



Abutilon Bedfordianum, from Brazil, is a tall shrub, of very 

 rapid growth in Victoria, and the bark yields a fibre of superior 

 quality. Three other Brazilian species (A. venosnm, A. striatum, 

 and A. vexillarium) also grow readily here, produce fibre and 

 bast of fine quality, suitable for whipcord, matting, paper, &c., 

 and are all easily prepared by the simple process of macerating 

 the young shoots or rods in the same way as jute. 



Several species of the closely-allied Hibiscus yield white silky 

 fibres. They are chiefly denizens of India, the Cape, America, 

 &c., but a number of beautiful kinds are found in New South 

 Wales fvnd Queensland. Those which are hardy in Victoria are, 



