1~)4 USEFUL Flr.ER PLANTS OF THE WORLD. 



Dregea volubilis. 



Exogen. Asclepiadacece. Tall climbing shrul). 

 An Indian species, found in Bengal, Assam, Tin- Deecan, and Ceylon. Contains a 

 Btrong fiber nsed by the natives. In Bombay tbe creeper is used as a cordage sub- 

 stitute in binding bundles of wood. 



_ u ' OeyL . Sec Anodendron. 

 Dun ( 



Dunchee End.). See Sesbania aculeata. 

 Dwabote Burm.). See Kydia. 



Edgeworthia gardneri. 



Exogen. ThymelceacecB. A large bush. 



Found in the Himalayas between 4.000 and 9.000 feet elevation. 



Bast Fiber. — The strong, tough fiber obtained from the long, straight, sparsely 

 branched twigs of this bush must, sooner or later, become one of the most valuable 

 of Indian fibers. The finest qualities of Xepal paper are made from this plant, which 

 produces a whiter paper than that obtained from Daphne canndbina. ( Watt.) 



Edgeworthia papyrifera. Mjtsumata of Jap ax. 



One of the three species of plants employed in the paper industries of Japan. 

 The fibers of Mitsumata (E. papyrifera) and Ganpi ( JTikstromia canescens) are not 

 considered strong enough to use singly for paper making, yet they are used exten 

 sively with other coarse raw materials ''in order to give tenderness, smoothness, 

 and luster to paper of low quality." 



Fiber. — The specimens in the Department collection from Japan are in the form 

 of raw stripped bast, and the same bleached and cleaned of epidermis and woody 

 matter. The strips are 6 to 8 feet in length, very clean, and yellowish white in color. 

 There is also a sample of pulp, and different forms of paper. 



Economic considerations. — Soil fit for the Mitsumata is about the same as that 

 for the paper mulberry plant, but the topographical conditions suitable show quite a 

 contrary result, the paper mulberry flourishing in exposed situations, while the Mit- 

 sumata succeeds in shaded places, but free from stagnant water, and consequently 

 the best situation for the Mitsumata culture is the slope of mountains or hill sides, 

 the soil, gravel loam, belonging to the paleozoic or mesozoic geological formation. 



It can be propagated either by seed, layering, or by cuttings; but the most exten- 

 sive and practical method is raising plants from the seed. The seed is sown between 

 the rows of barley or wheat or any other places where they are not exposed to sun- 

 light. "When the land is poor, some liquid manure is given to the row before the 

 seed is sown. In March of the next year the young shoots are dug out and trans- 

 planted at the rate of 5,000 per tan 1 on hilly places or 6,000 per tan on level land. In 

 planting out it is considered that a close plantation is rather better than an open 

 one. Plowing should be done two or three times a year, manuring at the same time 

 either with Chochin cake (by-product of rice spirit brewing), oil oake. or rice bran, 

 or sometimes with green manure. 



It yields the first crop in the second year, and afterward every other year. It is 

 harvested from November to March of the next spring, the yield commonly ranging 

 at about 300 kilograms per acre, though there are some cases of a product of over 

 1,000 kilograms of raw bark. The process of bleaching is quite the same as employed 

 for paper mulberry bark. Brovseom tin papyrifera. 



Edredon vegetal (see Ochroma lagopus). 

 Ehuawa (Hawaii). Cyperns l&vigatus. 



i<i a. See under Ct/perw ratten*. 



