268 
CXXI.—RAMIE or RHEA. 
(Boehmeria nivea, Hk. & Arn. 
Boehmeria nivea, var. tenacissima, Gaud.) 
Readers of the Kew Bulletin will have noticed that considerable 
attention has been devoted in its pages to the subject of the present 
note. The padar history of Ramie or Rhea, and of the various 
efforts that have been made. in recent years to render its valuable fibre 
available for edinniecaial enterprise, have been already fully summarised 
(Kew Bulletin, 1888, pp. 145-149; pp. 273-280; and pp. 297, 298). 
During the present year interest in Ramie appears to have become 
more and inore general, and judging by the correspondence addressed 
to this establishment the subject is followed with keen interest at home 
as well as in India and the Colonies. 
n connexion with the Paris Exposition Universelle, 1889, a special 
series of trials was held of heraus and processes z Bose menus 
Ramie (Exposition Universelle: Essais spéciaux 
per pour la LTEM AUS de la Ra wy and at the Tena of ihe 
dia Office, and in continuation of similar action taken last year, 
Mr. D. Morris, F.L.S., the Assistant Director, was appointed to repre- 
sent this country and to prepare a report of the results. This report, 
with the permission of the Secretary of State for India, is reproduced 
below :— 
Royal Gardens, Kew, October 26, 1889. 
A series of interesting trials of machines and processes designed for 
bios to prepare for the information of the Secretary of State for 
India in Council, was published in the Kew Bulletin, 1888, pp. 273— 
280. 
verselle, and d on the 23rd September last. The jury consisted 
for the most part of the members of the Commission of 1888. ‘The 
attendance of foreign representatives was considerably larger than in 
1888, and the greatest interest was manifested in the proceedings by a 
arge concourse of visitors. 
The machines and processes this year were confined to those which 
had been shown as a regular part of the general exhibition. As wi 
be seen later, all the competitors were French, and this in spite of the 
fact that more than a dozen machines and processes have lately been 
edi in this eountry, which are now in course of being carefully 
tested 
cleaning Ram ry state. I ventured to express the opinion 
(p. 278), that as regards India and our own Colonies it was essential 
at ie machine processes should be competent to deal success- 
gained Ramie fibre would, I feared, continue to remain unavailable for 
commercial enterprise. At the recent trials this was all chan nged. lt 
was a noticenble feature throughout the proceedings this year'that no 
importance whatever was attached to the decortication of dry ie 
stems. ‘The trials were entirely confined to results obtainable with 
