THE FIBRES OF TRI-NIDAD. 425 



133. Malachra radiata, which covers hundreds of acres. The fibre is 

 rather coarser than the preceding ; flaxy, silky, white, cells thick-walled, 

 not porous, 6^ to 8. 



134. Pavonia racemosa. Lowlands, near rivers ; extremely abundant ; 

 half flaxy, strong, whitish, cells porous, thick-walled, 7. 



135. Pavonia bracteata. Pretty shrub ; common in waste dry grounds, 

 half flaxy, brilliant white, fibre long and strong, rather stiff, cells thick- 

 walled, porous, 6 to 6ijr. 



136. Urena sinuata. Flaxy, silky fibre ; flexible, strong, and long 

 bundles, cells thick-walled, porous, 7. Abundant in poor soils. 



137. Abutilon Indicum, G. Don. Bass, light tissue, fibre stiff, cells thick- 

 walled, porous, 6 to 7. Hilly land. 



138. Sida cordifolia, L. Flaxy fibre, cells rather stiff, thick-walled, 

 porous, 5^ to 6. Very common on waste grounds. 



139. Sida rhombifolia. Beautiful, half flaxy, lustrous fibre, white, fibre- 

 cell thick-walled, not porous, 5. Very common on waste grounds. 



From the family of Lecythidacece, we have : — 



140. Couroupita guianensis, Aubl. Bass, tight, cells long, thick-walled, 

 not porous, 5 to 6. 



141. Lecythis adatiman, Aubl. Very dense tissue, Bass, resisting the 

 comb, difficult to macerate, produces a sort of vegetable leather ; cells 

 flexible, thick-walled, 8 to 10. 



And, lastly, of the Leguminosa? : — 



142. Bauhinia megalandria, Gris. Bass, fine light tissue, fibre-cells 

 thick-walled, not porous, 4^. 



143 is the fruit of the Torchon Gourd {Luffa apercolata). The fibrous 

 part is worked into small baskets, &c. Samples are shown under 302. 



The finer fibres, such as the Rhea {Bozlimeria nivea, and utilis), grow 

 most luxuriantly in the Botanic Gardens, in indifferent soil. No samples 

 are sent, because no one in the colony understands the preparation of the 

 fibre. 



In viewing such a collection as that shown in the Exhibition, intended 

 to display the resources of our island, the question why those resources are 

 neglected must occur to every inquirer. The answer will and must invariably 

 be, that the scarcity of labour prevents our progress. This question has been 

 so thoroughly misunderstood by a large portion of the British public, that 

 a few remarks may not, perhaps, be considered superogatory. 



If the productiveness of our island be compared with a similar area and 

 population situated in a higher latitude, our powers of production must 

 appear small and almost contemptible. This defect cannot be explained by 

 want of enterprise or capital, for both enterprise and capital pour in 

 wherever there is an opening for their advantageous employment. The 

 real cause of our backwardness is want of labour, which may be traced to 

 two chief causes. 



Proceeding from higher, latitudes towards the equator, it will be found 

 that, cetaris paribus, the natural wants of man diminish with the latitude. 



