Seven or eight years later the plant was subject of special 

 investigation and experiment in the state of New Jersey, which 

 resulted in very encouraging reports. There are also a number of 

 species that are very valuable, a few of the best adapted to this 

 country. I will here briefly refer to "Abutilon Periplocifolium," 

 known commonly as "Maholtine," has been described as follows: 

 It thrives magnificently in barren and rocky soil, the land is sim- 

 ply prepared by burning, when the seeds are thrown broadcast 

 over the plain about the beginning of May, and the stalks are 

 ready to be converted into fiber one year after. No attention is 

 required to be paid to the plant while growing and wild weeds, 

 etc., do not affect them in the least. 



Plants growing very near to each other will produce very 

 tall stems, say from 10 to 12 feet high and straight, but those 

 that happen to grow far apart will shoot out branches and make 

 bad growth, and the ribbons will be very irregular. 1 should 

 say six inches from each other would give splendid growth. When 

 the bark is green it can be peeled its entire length with no other 

 preparation than steeping the stalks in pools of water for five to 

 eight days. 



The color of the fiber is a creamy yellow and some samples 

 received measured 11 feet 10 inches in length. Samples sub- 

 mitted to London were favorably reported on and valued at $85 to 

 $100 per ton. Among Brazilian species, "A mollis," "A Bedford- 

 ianum," and "A Venosum," all of which have been introduced 

 into Australia, the last species especially has been experimented 

 with in Victoria and according to Dr. Guilfoil, is capable of pro- 

 ducing a fine quantity of fiber suitable for fishing lines, textile, 

 fabrics and paper. A Straitum also is desirable, but I must 

 here turn to another very interesting species of Bast fiber. Be- 

 fore leaving the "Malvaceae" I will refer to a few of that class 

 known as "Sida Retusa," and a congener ("S Rhombifolia") the 

 first is found to grow in both hemispheres, its bast being rich 

 in fiber and is described as of very quick growth and seeding 

 freely and is suitable for fine paper, and the manufacture of 

 cordage. The other "Rhombifolia," Dr. Forbes pronounces as 

 similar to Jute in appearance, but considered it intrinsical so 

 superior that it was $45 to $46 per ton more. Experiments dem- 

 onstrated the fact that a cord of one-half inch in circumfei'ence 

 sustained a weight of 400 pounds. The fibers grow from four 

 to five feet in length and displays a fine, soft and silky fiber. 

 I think from various aspects of this question, the "Sida" offers 

 great promise. 



ASCLAPIAS (MILKWEED) FIBERS 



The milkweed family, ("Asclepiadacciae") contains a large 

 number of fiber-bearing plants found in various portions of the 

 world, varying from shrubbery growth a few foet in height, to 

 the giant "Asclapias" of India, which reaches a height of ten 

 feet or more. The several species in the United States all possess 

 fibrous bark and bear seed pods filled with silky hairs resem- 

 bling thistle down. Mr. C. R. Dodge, in his report on this sub- 



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