148 
‘The Prickly Pear can be easily eradicated at any time from the soil 
on which it grows, if it is thought better to change it for more profitable 
we ges 
I trust that the information I have given Your Excelleney may be of 
ice 
I remain, &c. 
(Signed) B. N. C. FLETCHER. 
Sir Spenser St. John, K.C.M.G., 
&c. &e. &c. 

CCLIL—PALMYRA BASS FIBRE. 
(Borassus flabelliformis, L.). 
. Owing to the scarcity of the Bass fibres Toae ge from two 
Brazilian palms, Attalea funifera Sites Bulletin, 1889, p. 237) and 
Leopoldinia Piassaba, inquiry made in mis Baai countries 
for palms likely to yield fibres of a similar character. bass fibre has 
been obtained in Madagascar from a species of Dypsis; and more 
recently Lagos or Wes t African bass has been obtained from Raphia 
vinifera (Kew Bulletin, 1891, p. 1). A fibre almost identical has still 
n prepared in Ceylon from the Palmyra palm (Borassus 
flabelliformis). The following information has been erii on this 
subject. 
Director or Navy Contracts to Roxar Garpens, Kew. 
Admiralty, Whitehall, S.W., 
Sin, June 1, 1892. 
HALL be much obliged if you will be good enough to inform 
the Department whether anything is known of a material called 
* Bassine" said to be grown in India and dressed for the English 
market at Colombo, as to its value as a substitute for Brazilian Bass, 
and EN it is likely io displace bass on account of its quality or 
rice. 
The Director. (Signed). : M. 
Royal Gardens, Kew. For Director of Navy Contracts. 

Royat GARDENS, Kew, to DrRECTOR or Navy Contracts. 
Royal Gardens, Kew, 
ne June 8, 1892. 
I am desired by Mr. pier Te ie acknowledge the receipt 
of your letter of the Ist instant on the subject of fibre prepared from 
the Palmyra palm as a substitute for Brazil de n Bass 
As shown in the enclosed extract from the Report of the Director 
of the ae Gardens Ceylon, the fibre from the Palmyra palm is 
ing p small quantities in the north of the i si > 
quantity pag is evidently limited, and as the panes is an = 
