3 ` 
From these particulars it be be seen that the Manila oi pram 
ne to a large extent, ca d by special cireumstances wh jeg hap 
cheap rate. The conditions of soil and imate may poor be found 
elsewhere, but as a necessary adjunct to these, there must be an 
abundant and cheap supply of labour adapted to a rural industry. 
A plant of Manila hemp (Musa textilis) may be seen in the Palm 
House at Kew. For the purpose of illustrating the industry there are 
very compicte sets of exhibits in the Kew Museum, No. 2. These 
include the raw fibre, cables, ropes, twine, fine muslin fabrics, “ haif 
stuff,” and paper of all Aide the latter being made from old Manila 
ropes. 
The valuable character of the fibre yielded by Musa textilis has 
Sem drawn attention to it as a valuable industrial plant, and during 
the last 60 years it has been introduced to India and elsewhere for . 
ants o i 
e r 
dency direct from the Phillipines in 1858; while at the Audiau 
Islands this fibre plant has been thoroughly established. 
Experiments in India so far have shown that plants of Musa textilis 
can be successfully m in many districts; but itis not yet clearly 
shown that the fibre be cleaned so expeditiously and so cheaply 
as to compete auceasstully with fibre from the a 
fter a systematic series of e madè Xe the Glenrock Company 
fibre, or 1°49 per cent. of the green stem. cost of cleaning the 
hapis was ssa the rate of 6/. per ton, while the ibre itself, described as 
‘ poor, weak, and flaggy, with some clean fibre ood colour,” was 
valued i in n London at 107. per ton; the best alone was valued at 25/. per 
o 
7 unless much improvement both in the method and cost of production 
Masi hemp plants have been introduced from Kew to Jamaica, and 
to other portions of the West Indies. In favourable situations they 
according to experience in the Phillipines be aaa one pound of fibre, 
the local value of which would be only 2d. to 3 



NOTE AD —In the Kew Bulletin, No. 3, pp. 5 and 6, the prices there given 
8. price 
current in the London market in December 1886 1s pm on p. 8 of the puge 
il e 
e & M d 
Christie, to give the soin oe Ə4l.; 1880, 27/.; 1881, 28l.; 1882, 28l. ; 
1883, 27l., 1884, 21l; 1885, 197.; 1886, ail The average price for the three 
months ending March 31st, 1887, is 28. per to 
U 50821. 500.—12/87. Wt. 16. 
