14 



before they will take to a plant so different from their ordinary- 

 food plants as these are, but a little care and trouble will soon 

 overcome the difficulty, as I know from personal experience. 



Rheea or China Grass. — (Boehmeria nivea). — So many en- 

 quiries have been made during the last few months about this 

 plant that I venture to take over from the " Tropical Agricul- 

 turist " for November last, the following article, which contains 

 information for which I have been frequently asked. I would 

 at the same time strongly recommend those who are inclined 

 to cultivate the Rheea, to first make sure that our native 

 species, Urera tenax, called by the natives um-Bogozembe, will 

 not be a more profitable plant to cultivate than the Rheea : — 



SOME PARTICULARS REGARDING RHEEA 

 CULTIVATION". 



(Being extracts from a report to the Government of India by 

 James Montgomery, Esq., Kangra). 



PROPAGATION. 



(1) By seed. — This course must be adopted in some cases, 

 when the germ of the plants has to be carried over great dis- 

 tances ; but probably much disappointment will attend the 

 result. To obtain the seed great care is requisite, and a favour- 

 able atmospheric season. For this purpose young spring shoots 

 should be carefully reserved in a well sheltered position. These 

 plants should receive special care and be well manured. 

 During the rainy season they must be kept thoroughly drained, 

 and after that has passed, the ground should be carefully 

 loosened round the plants. If the rains come early in October, 

 a fair amount of seed may be obtained; but, as far as I can 

 juHge, no amount of care can ensure success, so much depending 

 on the season, a dry one being most favourable for the full 

 development of the seed. The only method of sowing which I 

 found successful, was on a gentle hot-bed under glass, in March 

 and April ; the seed scattered over the surface, covered very 

 thinly with sifted earth, and carefully shaded from the sun, 

 until the plants were about three inches high, when sunlight 

 may gradually be admitted. When sufficiently strong they 

 should be planted out a foot apart every way. 



(2) By cuttings of the stems. — The stems should be spring 

 grown ones, allowed to ripen well and not cut until duly ripe. 

 Then divide the ripened portion of the stem where the cuticle 

 has turned fully brown into short lengths, each including three 

 eyes or buds, cut a quarter of an inch below the the bottom 

 bud and as much above the top one, and plant with the centre 

 bud level with the surface If the weather be damp and 

 cloudy, they will readily strike root, otherwise they will require 

 shading for a week or ten days, the soil being kept moist. As 



