7 
jr ml In that case pR might be turned in another direction, 
dition. For aper-making it miliy t sufficient to cut the stems into 
short p and then divide them longitudinally into numerous 
narrow strips. These, after being passed between rollers to get rid 
of the water and mucilage, might be dried in the sun, and afterwards 
put up in compressed bales for shipment 
The whole subject resolves itself into a question of cost, and it can 
only be practically solved in countries like Demerara, Trinidad, and 
Jamaica, where several thousand acres are occupied by banana planta- 
tions, and where sufficient material lies close at hand to maintain a 
moderately large industr 
For some years considerable interest has been taken by the Govern- 
ment of Bengal in the subject of the utilisation of plantain stems for 
eport sented 
n a 
Superintendent of the Royal Botanical Gardens, at Calcutta, he 
mentions :— és iiras receiving these papers I have gone into the whole 
; now mon you the res sults. Before 
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“ Empire, but does not aee the fibre of the Manila plantain peros: 
“ textilis), which is a of an altogether exceptional kind. ‘The 
“ fibre of the Manila sane usually ‘known as Manila peg ias is one 
“ of the most valuable fibres known, and is hears in Lon 
« 30l. to 40l. a ton, a price that takes it quite out of the range of raw 
_ egei is for paper 
« TF have ascertained, by reference to a large English ni saree 
“ that if it can be delivered cheap enough, plantain fibre would be 
“ readily bought in England for paper-making. Quotations as to 
“ exact value of the fibre can hardly be given until a trial shipmen 
“ has been put on the home market. Esparto is the fibre Sinib 
* ae — fibre would be pitted as a raw mae for the paper- 
“ in Tonto at about 10/. per ton. Itis pee likely that plantain fibre 
“ would ye so anaona as esparto, but it might bring as much 
“ 8l. per 
It aoe ok the Bally Mills Company, near Calcutta, has for some 
time utilised the stem of the cultivated plantain for paper-making, and 
the results are said to be satisfactory. The company purchase = 
in this ae: 


*Spanish and Algerian espartos are quoted in London (Dec. 1886) at 70s. to 
110s. per ton. The estimated value of plantain fibre must therefore be reduced to 
one half of the above. 
