134 COMMEBCIAL BOTANY. 



fresh interest was given to it by the American Vice-Consul 

 at Bradford, Yorkshire, suggesting to his Government at 

 Washington the desirability of their introducing the plant 

 and fostering its growth in the United States, for the double 

 purpose of utilising its fibre in America and of exporting it to 

 this country. The practical results of this communication, 

 though it excited fresh interest in this country at the time, 

 were almost nil. The great desideratum was the invention 

 of a machine that would clean the fibre, and prepare it at 

 such a cost that it might be put into the market at a price 

 to compete with other textiles of a similar character ; and 

 with the hope of attaining this end, the Indian Government 

 offered in 1869 prizes of £5,000 and .£2,000 for such a 

 machine. A Mr. Greig was the only competitor, and his 

 machine did not altogether fulfil the conditions necessary 

 for complete success, so that the matter again dropped. In 

 the meantime the China Grass plant has been grown for 

 experimental purposes in the South of France, near Mar- 

 seilles, and in Algeria, and many new inventions in 

 machinery for its preparation have been made in England, 

 America, and on the Continent. During the year 1887 a 

 fresh impulse was given to the fibre by a series of experi- 

 ments with new machinery in Paris, as well as by the 

 adaptation of a flax- cleaning machine, invented by Mr. 

 Wallace, and exhibited during the year at an Exhibition of 

 Irish Industries held in London. At a still later period — 

 namely, in the Kew Bulletin for December, 1888 — it is 

 stated " that those who have in a measure been successful 

 in preparing the fibre in commercial quantities are dis- 

 appointed at the reception it has received at the hands of 

 the spinners and manufacturers." 



The extended cultivation of the plant presents no diffi- 

 culties, given a suitable soil and a locality possessing the 

 necessary climatic conditions of heat and moisture. There 

 is no doubt that the Ramie or China Grass plant could 



