278 
. These are, briefly stated, the results of the Paris trials on Ram 
That the results are unsatisfactory and ie iron and fall far hat 
of the estimates of the inventors, there can be no matter of doubt. It is 
probable that a fresh series of trials will be ciet next year in 
connexion with Exhibition of 1889 ; and if the value of the 
aris 
prizes is increased there will — appear a larger and better repre- 
sentation of machines und proces 
Tus FAVIER SYSTEM. 
It will be noticed that there was no trial this year of the Favier 
system which is in operation in Spain, and is described in the 
Kew Bulletin hà June 1888, pp. 145-149. Nor was there a trial 
nachine (constructed by Death and Ellwood of 
of th 
Leicester), whi n has been in use, experimently, in many parts of 
the world. ‘The Favier process is being worked privately, and is 
therefore rot available to the public. The fibre hitherto produced 
has been e y used in France; but the quantity so far available 
as not been sufficient to base an opinion as to the permanency of t 
enterprise ier, who has Fn taken a deep interest in the Ramie 
has jo eae on the sri to the Journal Pindustrie Pro- 
gressive of October 7 et seg. may be looked upon as embodying the 
views of one of the best informed of French experts on the present 
position of the Ramie question 
Tue TREATMENT OF Dry As AGAINST GREEN RAMIE STEMS. 
Amongst the French there is attached an importance beyond their 
value to machines for cleaning Ramie in the dry state. This has arise 
doubt from the fact that the Favier system nly one 
grow one or two crops of Ramie, and eut and harvest the stems in summer 
and work them off at their leisure during the speculi a shine 
were devised to treat Ramie successfully, it is imprcbable that France 
could compete with tropical and sub-tro opica E ee ps ae three 
four crops of stems could be reaped in the This conclusion is new 
being gradually adopted in France, and the (mms Sepa of Ramie 
is treated a qu or. which more nearly concerns Algiers and the 
French tropical — 
As regards I - our own Colonies, it is essential that Ramie 
machines should work upon the green stems, and not upon the. dry. 
n the rainy season, when the air is impregnated with — to dr 
Ramie stems in the open year after eutting woul impossibility. 
"To attempt to dry by artifieial means the enormous quantity of stems 
yielded even by a few aeres would entail so much labour in m 
and so much expense for buildings and fuel that it would be altogether 
a hopeless task. 
"The per-centage of crude cali yielded ry Ramie stems is estimated at 
about 10 per cent. If the stems must- be first dried before they are 
in and cart out agai 
treated, it would be neces handle, to cart t in 
rying sheds, 100 e of stems ery 10 tons of "veis produced 
Tt might be su arvesting the stems shou in 1 e 
— in the open air. 
