292 
prospects of a woe IE. induit d in that Colony. The figures supplied 
are very valua 
“ The fibre of thousands of acres of plantains is lost annually in this 
effici 
entirely prodi to the planter. The banana yields. less fibre than the 
plantain tree, and its fibre is generally tinted. 
* Various attempts have been recently made to construet machinery for 
manufacturing the plantain fibre. Subsequently to the Exhibition at 
Paris, in 1855, strenuous efforts were made to establish the production 
had fibre-making machinery put up and tried on their estate, 77aags- 
bosch, but it was not found well adapted for the purpose, the stems in 
their natural state Hote so much more bulky than was allowed for in 
constructing the mac 
“Mr. A. D. Van Dir ui Netscher, when proprietor-of plantation 
ouderoyen, on the west bank of the River Demerara, in 1855, 
r other reasons. 2. The planting of the suckers at distances of 
8 feet apart has never been tried; but I am of deed that if so planted 
and eut down every eight months for the stem alone, an acre would 
give from 1,400 to 1,500 good stems every cattüpi, or about 4,500 in 
two years. 3. On plantation Klein Pouderoyen, after repeated trials, 
the plantain stem on an average has been found to give 2} lbs. clean, 
and 14 lb. discoloured and broken fibre, the latter only fit for coarse 
paper. This resnlt, however, has been obtained by “he eed eaa 
"wer spem He The average weight of the plantain bs. 
5. 'The can be transported from the field to du buildings for 
one peter see hundred.” 
Owing to the increasing cultivation of bananas in the West 
Indies, and the fact that when once the stems have borne fruit 
they are cut down and allowed simply to rot on the ground, 
some plan might be devised for turning the fibre to account. There 
are at least 50, ,000 banana stems cut down every year in the West 
Indies, >al at present little or no use is made of the fibre. It is 
but it might possibly be used for making coarse paper, as a packin 
material, or in the atari of papier mache. Its chief competitors 
in some of these directions would be Esparto, and the wood pulp 
not exceeding 2/. 10s. to 3/. 10s. per ton, and it is now very largely 
used by paper-makers. 
Banana fibres from Musa sapientum ure shown in the Kew Museum 
from the Andaman Islands, Jamaica, Mauritius, Ceylon, British Guiana 
ia. Th 
Wilson are of excellent quality. A sample from British Guiana w 
valued in 1892 at 25/. per ton, but usually the price is much lower, ad 
