CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES AND PBODUCTS OE INDIA. 131 



&e. There is abundance of the plant all over the colony, and the ex- 

 pense of obtaining the fibre is simple and inexpensive. 



A great number of specimens of prepared plantain fibre are exhibited. 

 Burke's patent machinery for the manufacture of this fibre on a large 

 scale, has been introduced, but it has not as yet been made to work 

 satisfactorily. Pittie fibre is from an undefined species of Hibiscus, and 

 kratta or krattu fibre from another species. Mahoe fibre is also ob- 

 tained from the Hibiscus elatus of Linnseus, the Thespesia populnea of 

 Correa. 



Tibisiri fibre is made from the young leaves of the Ita palm 

 Mauritia flexuosa, Linn., and is used by the Indians for making ham- 

 mocks, &c. 



Iturite fibre (Maranta obliqua, Radge.), is used by the Indians for 

 making their pegalls. There are two other fibrous substances in this 

 collection which deserve mention, and these are Winna fibre, the inner 

 bark of the cacaralli tree (Lecythis ollaria, Linn.), used by the Indians to 

 wrap their cigars, and the fibrous root of the Pothos macrophylla, 

 Swartz., used by the Indians to make baskets. 



It is to be regretted that the colonists have not yet achieved the 

 systematic production of their numerous vegetable fibres in a style or to 

 an extent snitable for exportation. Experiments highly satisfactory in 

 this character have, it is true, been repeatedly made, but unfortunately 

 the machinery sent out was found in some respects unsuitable. The 

 desired improvements will, however, it is hoped, be soon effected, when 

 the trials will be resumed under more favourable auspices. 



CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES AND PRODUCTS OF INDIA. 



Two descriptions of salt are produced at Cuttack ; the first, called 

 Pungah salt, is obtained by boiling to a residuum highly concentrated 

 brine ; the second is the Kurlcutcli, or gravel salt. As the word signifies, 

 it is produced by the aid of solar evaporation only, from sea-water. 

 The water is introduced into small beds prepared with a smooth bottom 

 of clay, slightly depressed in the ground, and surrounded by a slight 

 ridge of earth. A few hours' exposure in the burning sun of March and 

 the two following months, is sufficient to evaporate the water in these beds, 

 which deposits the salt it held in solution. A fresh supply is then let 

 in, and the process of total or only partial evaporation is continued, till 

 the bottom of the beds is covered with a layer of this salt, more or less 

 thick, which is then scraped up. 



Both these kinds of salt are produced all along the sea-board of the 

 province from February to June, and under what is practically a Govern- 



