18 
slipping p under the knife allows the blade to descend upon it ; 
tead ] drags the fibre underneath the knife, which holds 
no all the pith, weak fibre, and other useless matter. As the 
strain is heavy it constitutes a guarantee that all the fibre that is 
t 
then hung over a pole to dry. This is soon done if it is a fine day, 
and the hemp is then ready for mar 
These operations are Ny at simple : and can be performed by 
anyone; but some force is required to pull the fibre under the 
knife, and he fiditicular muscles haart into play soon tire if 
the operator is new to the work. Men who have been ee up 
to LT ded d: can go on for qud d p discom 
Som o be able e half a picul (66 tba.) of 
hemp ina v : but ‘the most I jio ever seen oridaced by one 
man in a day was 37 catties (a shade less than 50 Ibs.). With the 
fibre at $6 a picul this quantity would sell for $2- dm a high rate of 
pay in a country where wages are normally 30 cen 
It is needless to add that it would not be i rionblo to employ 
men on day wages to prepare Manila hemp, as so much depends 
n the amount of force put into the work and consequently the 
quantity of hemp produced. 
W. B. PRYER. 
DXCIV.—CAPE SUMACH. 
(Colpoon compressum, Berg.) 
The * Bark Bosch” is a bush of about six feet, confined t 
Cape Colony and Natal, belonging to the Sandal-wood family 
(Santalacee). ET is locally used for tanning leather. It 
escribed as Thesium Colpoon, Linn., Fusanus compressus, 
Murr., and Osyris compressa, A. D. 
It has been Eg by Mr. Arthur George Perkin, F.R.S.E., in 
the Cloth workers' Research Maporetory., Dyeing Department of the 
Yorkshire College, Lee en) He has published the following account 
in the Journal of the Chemical. Si for 1897 (pp. 1132-5) :— 
* My attention was drawn to this material by Professor Procter 
during its examination as a tanning material in the Saether 
Industries department of this College, and to him I am also 
i 
he leaf is much used in South Africa under the Dutch name 
of * Pruim-bast,' as a substitute for sumach for tanning ; only the 
younger leaves are gathered. 
* According to analyses made in the Leather Industries labora- 
Tt is Qui as strong as the average Sicilian sumach (Rhus Coriaria) 
and although its tannin is very “different Seona n from that in 
