130 SUBSTITUTES FOE COTTON AND NEW FIBRES. 



per acre. Value at 6d. per lb. per acre, 132Z. 2s. 6d. Value of fruit at 

 6d. per bunch, of 2,114 stems or bunches per acre, 52Z. 17s. Or fruit 

 and fibre, 184Z. 19s. 6d. 



Were the fruit to be dried like figs, allowing four-fifths waste for peel 

 a nd absorption, the weight of fruit of 2,114 bunches (each weighing at 

 least 50 lbs.), would be = 21,140 lbs. of cured fruit, value at 4d per lb., 

 352Z. 6s. 8d. 



The expense incurred in culture of the banana and preparation 

 of product, cannot at present be correctly estimated, but as the plant 

 scarcely requires cultivation after the first and second year, 1 man 

 would keep clean 3 or 4 acres, or say 3 acres, at 12Z. per annum, being 

 high wages ; 100 acres would thereby require say 34 labourers, at 121. 



each would be £408 



For cleaning fibre, drying fruit, cartage of produce, 

 and raw materials from field, &c, say 20 hands, 



at 127, each, would be 240 



Superintendance by skilled labour, say . . 300 



Total, excluding wear and tear, freight, and other 



charges 948 



The above must be considered a high estimate of expenditure, 

 but an estate cultivating 300 acres of canes would cost from 3,500Z. to 

 4,OO0Z. per annum, an acre yielding at an average 1 hhd. per acre, and 

 90 gallons rum. 



At a time when there is such an outcry for new textile materials, to 

 come to the aid of flax and cotton, it does seem somewhat singular, that 

 with money so cheap and abundant, and with the very fine collections 

 of prepared fibres exhibited from our colonies at the International Exhi- 

 bition, so little attention has been given to these by practical men. 



The collection of prepared fibres sent from Jamaica, by Mr. "Wilson, 

 is one of the largest and most carefully prepared that has, perhaps, 

 ever been seen. The fibres sent by Mr. Cruger, from Trinidad, have 

 already been described in our pages. Then there are most interesting 

 collections from British Guiana, Ceylon, Mauritius, and the Cape, and a 

 well arranged series from the India House Museum ; to say nothing of 

 the French, Guiana, and other foreign collections. We do not think 

 that our home merchants and manufacturers have taken much trouble 

 to examine them systematically, to determine their practical worth — 

 and hence the labours of the collectors and exhibitors will be so much 

 time and trouble lost. 



Among the fibres shown from British Guiana, are several specimens 

 of silk grass or corawa fibre (Bromelia karatas, Linn.), which is very 

 strong, and is used by the Indians for bow-strings, nets, fishing lines, 

 ropes, &c. 



Wild ochro (JJrena sp.) — The fibre is in a rough state, but when 

 bleached and dressed it is adapted for making cloth equal to linen. 

 It is very strong, and may be used for making rope, twine, gasketting, 



