126 



USEFUL FIBER PLANTS OF THE WORLD. 



Botanical considerations. — Corchorus capsularis is an annual plant, growing 

 from 5 to 10 feet high, with a cylindrical stalk as thick as a man's finger, and seldom 

 branching except near the top. The leaves, which are of a light-green color, are 

 about 4 to 5 inches long by H inches broad toward the base, but tapering upward 

 into a long sharp point with edges cut into saw-like teeth, the two teeth next the 

 stalk being prolonged into bristle-like points. The flowers are small and of a whitish- 

 yellow color, coming out in clusters of two or three together opposite the leaves. 

 The seed pods are short and globular, rough and wrinkled. The second species, the 

 C. olitorius, is precisely similar to the last in general appearance, shape of leaves, 

 color of flower, and habits of growth; but it differs entirely in the formation of the 

 seed pod, which, in this species, is elongated (about 2 inches long), almost cylin- 

 drical, and about the thickness of a quill. See PL V, fig. 1. See also figs. 43 and 44. 

 Different kinds of jute. — Hem Chunder Kerr, in the Report on the Cultivation 

 of and Trade in Jute in Bengal, 1874, states that among the many varieties of jute 

 the most common are known by the names (a) Uttariya, (b) Deswal, (c) Desi, (d) Deora, 

 (e) Narainganji, (f) Bdkrdbadi, (g) Bhatial, (li) Karimganji, (i) Mirganji, (j) Jang- 

 ipuri. These are described by Mr. Kerr as follows: 



(a) The first variety is by far the best. 

 It is called Uttariya, or northern jute, be- 

 cause it comes from the districts to the 

 north of Serajgungee. The districts are 

 Rungpore, Goalparah Bogra, parts of My- 

 mensing, Cooch Behar, and Julpigoori. 

 This jute recommends itself to the trade by 

 its possessing to the greatest extent those 

 XDroperties which are essentially necessary 

 in fiber intended for spinning, namely, 

 length, color, and strength. It is some- 

 times, however, found to be weak, and it is 

 never equal to the Desi and Desical descrip- 

 tions in softness. A superior quality of j ute 

 is produced, chiefly for domestic use, by the 

 Hajung and Koch tribes of hill people. It 

 comes into the market so late as Xovember. 

 (&) Xext in commercial value is the 

 Deswal jute. It goes down fairly with the 

 trade on account of fineness, softness, bright 

 color, and strength. It is stated, however, 

 to have deteriorated to a certain extent 

 within the last two or three years from the 

 inefficient system of drainage in the new 

 fields where it is grown. The fiber has become shorter and more rooty, and lately 

 weaker also. Its name implies that it is the native jute of Serajgungee and its 

 neighborhood. Such of it as is grown on beels is called Bilan, and what is raised in 

 churs is known by the name of Cham a : but in Calcutta they pass under the generic 

 name of Desical. It first comes into the market in Sravana. that is, about the latter 

 end of July or beginning of August. 



(c) The Desi jute is the produce of Hooghly, Burdwan, Jessore, and 24-Pergun^ 

 nahs. It is of a long, fine, and soft fiber. If its defects, which are stated to be 

 fuzziness and bad color, were removed, it is believed by men experienced in the 

 trade that its market value would be very much improved. 



(77) The staple known under the name of Deora comes from Furreedpore and Back- 

 ergunge. Its name is due to a village in Furreedpore, where formerly there was a 

 large mart. The village has dwindled down to insignificance now, but all the prod- 

 uce of the district, as also of the neighboring district of Backergunge, is known by 

 its name. The bulk of the liber of this class is strong, coarse, black, and rooty, and 



Fig. 43 — -Seed vessels of Corchorus capsularis. 



