230 
of Agaves with short leaves, of which Agave heteracantha, Zucc., is the 
type. The first information respecting African bass, a fibre obtained 
from mig bee vinifera, was published in the Kew Bulletin (K.B. 
1891, p. 1). This is now a regular article of export from our African 
Colonies ; and the same ee may be said of the bass fibre obtained from 
he Palmyra palm in Ceylon (K.B., 1892, 148), and of Madagascar 
Piassava yielded by a new species of Dict; yosperma (K.B., 1894, 358). 
A continuous account of the hemp industry in Yucatan, and of the similar 
industry lately started in the Bahamas, is given over the whole period. 
The origin of the white-rope fibres which appeared in commerce ^ 
Bombay aloe fibre, and as Manila aloe fibre, have been traced to Agav 
vivipara, a New "World species now naturalised and fairly ibündént 
in many parts of the East Indies (K.B., 1893, 
The recent attempts to extract and to utilise the valuable fibres 
contained in the China grass (Boehmeria nived), and Ramie or Rhea (B. 
tenacissima), have been placed on record in a series of articles which have 
een of considerable service to manufacturers in this country end also 
to our planting Colonies. The habitsand requirements of the plants and 
the conditions necessary for their successful cultivation have been 
carefully discussed. 
RUBBER PLANTS. 
The np - Maa fate plants has resulted in drawing 
attention not only t ources of supply, but in increasing the 
quantity available for odes purposes. ‘The remarkable rubber 
known as a source of commercial rubber. e os rubber industry in 
two years developed into an export value of nearly 400,0007. A somewhat 
similar industry had been started on the Gold ‘Co ast by the efforts 
of Sir 
Alfred Moloney, with exports in 1893 of the value of 218,1627. Practically 
all the more important sources of commercial rubber are reviewed, while 
particulars respecting new rubber plants such as Forsteronia gr acilis in 
British Guiana, F. floribunda in Jamaica, and imer um glandulosum in 
the United States of Columbia are also given. It may be added that 
information is desired by this establishment ee the plants 
yielding the Esmeralda rubber of Guiana (K.B., 189 e Sib and that 
exported from Matto-grosso in Brazil. There is a doubt as to the dis- 
tinction, if any, existing between caoutchoucs yielded siccam by 
the Uie and Tuno trees of Central Ameri ne ual 
referred to Castilloa elastica, but botanical specimens are necessary 
of each tree to definitely decide the point, 
SPECIAL ARTICLES. 
, 
red ie dap! tea, or maté, so argely consumed as a beverage in 
South America (K.B., 1872, igs vauilla-yielding plants cultivated 
in Goia] ehn ( K. B., 1895, 169) ; the plants ie, Sisal hemp, 
(K.B., 1892, 21) ; the timber of the Straits Settlemen s (K.B., 1890, 
'These include the results of investigations made at Kew into plants 
b À 
893, "8 
St. Vince nt CK B., 1893, ire ; ^ bdo Labiatæ (K.B., 1894, 10); 
Canary rosewoods (K. B., 1893, 133) ; American ginseng (K. + 1893; 
