50 THE JUTE FIBRE 



water. It is allowed to remain there for ten or twelve days, during which 

 the cultivator daily visits it, in order to see that it is properly laid and 

 the stems are not unduly rotted. When the bark is separated from the 

 stalk and the fibres become soft, the weight upon the raft is removed 

 and the stalks are unbundled. The dresser descends into the water knee- 

 deep, and takes up five to eight sticks at a time ; he breaks off about 

 two feet of them at the bottom, which is called the " root of jute ;" the 

 bark, which is become soft like thread, is held in both hauds, and the 

 stalks are taken off. The fibres thus separated are dressed and exposed 

 to the sun by hanging over bamboos ; they are afterwards partially cleaned, 

 and filially bundled or lotted in parcels of from one to two maunds 

 weight for the market. One acre of land will produce about half a ton 

 of jute ; but after the jute crop is cleared off, the land will grow tobacco, 

 rape or other oil seeds. 



The lower parts of the bark nearest the root, which the hand has pre- 

 viously held, are so contaminated, that they are, as I have already stated, 

 cut off as useless for jute fibre. These fragments, however, in themselves 

 have their use : they are shipped from Calcutta to the United States for 

 paper-makers, for preparing bags and such-like purposes, and even, it is 

 said, distilled into whisky. 



The great care requisite in watching the immersed jute until it almost 

 putrefies is, to preserve the fine silky character so much valued in fibre 

 intended for export. For local consumption in India such care is not taken 

 in steeping, hence the article is stronger and more durable. The trade is 

 very considerable. Besides the gunny-bags made from the fibrous part or 

 bark, the stems of the plant themselves are used for charcoal, for gunpowder, 

 fences, basket-work, fuel, &c. 



To show the benefit that arises from extended intercourse with India, 

 and the rapid progress that has been made since private enterprise 

 has been allowed to enter the field, it may be stated that the price of 

 jute has risen in Bengal from 12 to 14 annas (Is. 6d. to Is. 9d.) per 

 100 lb. (the ruling quotation about twenty-five years ago) to 16 rupees (32s.) 

 per 300 lb., the latest quotation in the ' Calcutta Prices-Current ' of the 

 Chamber of Commerce dated 1st July, 1861. 



Mr P. L. Simmonds, in his new edition of ' Ure's Philosophy of Manu- 

 factures' (Bohn), which contains the best and most complete account of 

 the import, trade, and manufacture of the great Textile Materials of 

 Commerce, furnishes some most important and interesting statistical details 

 respecting jute. The high price of flax of late years has led to the 

 extensive use of jute in yarns hitherto purely flax or tow. The gradual 

 increased imports of this fibre are shown by the following figures : — 





Gwt. 





Cvvt. 



1853 - - 



275,578 



1857 - - 



646,191 



1854 - - 



481,733 



1858 - - 



756,250 



1855 - - 



- ' 539,297 



1859 - - 



- 1,071,731 



1856 - - 



731,093 



1860 - - 



821,892 



Average of 4 years 506,925 



Average of 4 years 824,016 



