204 
Germany, but, so far, have not succeeded in finding any of the artificial 
coffee beans the authorities of Kew Gardens are anxious to obtain for 
the museum attached to the gardens. 
The Under Secretary of State for the Department of the Interior 
informs me that it is quite impossible to get any of these beans, as all 
the machines for making them have e роне 
(Signed) pé ox “Le Porr TRENCH, 
The Marquis of Salisbury, K.G., 
&e, &e. &с. 
CCIX.—KANAFF ОВ DECCAN HEMP. 
( Hibiscus cannabinus, L.). 
Recently an announcement has been made of the discovery of a new 
textile plant on the shores of the Caspian. ‘The plant known as Kanaff 
report which appeared in a Tiflis journal, it is supposed that Капа 
fibre, from its abundance site consequent cheapness, and its extraordinary 
ropes, and pack-thread. The fibre is said to have a greater resistance 
than hemp, and its specific gravity is less. 
The chief source of information respecting the plant yielding this fibre 
is contained in an article entitled ee sur le Sunn, le Yucca, et quelques 
autres plantes textiles, by MM. Jules Grisard e t Max. Vanden- Berghe, 
in the Revue des Sciences es es enh 1890, pp. 992-993. 
cannabinus, I., a well-known m plant P pumaq also oe in a 
ud: i 
that cords and ropes are prepared 200 its fibre. pedit s of Kanaf 
fibre have recently ban received at Kew, but no ан specimens of 
the plant producing it have so far рн en. There is every proba- 
bility, however, that the plant is one of the many varieties of Hibiscus 
cannabinus, and the utilisation of its fibre on the shores of the Caspian 
is a fact of some interest. The information so far furnished is as 
follows :— 
" The French Revue des Colonies reports the discovery of a new textile 
ipulation, M. O. Blak i , o 
made a e study of Kanaff, has obtained an admirable textile 
matter; it is soft, elastic, and silky, gives a thread, which is very tough 
_ and сап be chemically bleached without losing its value. e stuffs 
с. p anh out of Kanaff, and then bleached, сап be successfully 
dyed in every shade of colour, and would compete with зај of the 
ishing ma now in use. But it is particularly for making — 
— E sacks, poc Acn &e., that this new bn. from its т рт апа 
