DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 305 



from which it derives its name. Its bark is thick and strong, and can he vised for 

 the same purposes as the other species. (Dr. Guilfoyle. Victorian collection.) 



Sterculia lurida is the "sycamore" of the colonists. This species is a native of 

 New South Wales. The tree is of large size, resembling acerifolia in appearance. 

 "Its hark is a valuable fiber-yielding material." In New South Wales it is made up 

 into a variety of fancy articles by the colonists. The fiber is the inner bark of the 

 tree, and when freshly stripped has a lace-like character which adapts it for fancy 

 work. (Dr. Guilfoyle. Victorian collection.) 



Sterculia fatida: This species, a native of New South Wales, is also indigenous in 

 the East Indies and the Malayan Peninsula. The fiber is similar to the preceding, 

 and is manufactured into mats, bags, cordage, and paper. £. quadrifida is another 

 New South Wales species, also represented in Dr. Guilfoyle's collection. * Specimens 

 of the above are in the Mus. U. S. Dept. Ag. 



Sterculia caribaea. Red Mahoe. 



Found in Trinidad and New Caledonia. A large tree, 40 to 50 feet in height. 



Bast Fiber. — The fiber- is of considerable strength, but it requires retting to 

 get out the mucilage which is so common in Sterculiacecc, Tiliacecv, and Malvacece. 

 It could not be treated commercially unless large areas were planted, as the trees, 

 though common in places, are by no means numerous. 



Sterculia guttata. 



Native of Malabar. Found in India, Eastern and Western Peninsulas, Ceylon, and 

 the Andaman Islands. 



The bark of trees, of the tenth year, is employed by the natives on the western 

 coast of India for making coarse clothing and cordage. The tree is felled, its 

 branches are lopped, the trunk is cut into pieces 6 feet long, a longitudinal incision 

 is made in each piece, and the bark is opened, taken off entire, chopped, washed, 

 and sun dried. In this state, it is very pliable and tough, and is used for clothing 

 without further preparation. (Spon.) 



Sterculia villosa. The Udal. 



Northwestern India, Bengal, and Malabar; tropical Himalayas. 



Fiber. — Royle states that the bast, or rather all the layers, can be stripped from 

 the bottom to the top of the tree with the greatest facility, and fine, pliable rope is 

 made from the inner layers, while the outer ones yield a coarse rope, which is strong 

 and durable and little injured by water. 



A valuable fiber is obtained from the liber, which is made into ropes and bags. It 

 is very strong, and in southern India and Burmah is much esteemed for the purpose 

 of making elephant ropes. In northern India the ropes from this fiber are chiefly 

 used in making cattle halters. The rope is said to become stronger for a time from 

 being frequently wetted, and if constantly exposed to moisture it seldom lasts more 

 than eighteen months. A good paper is said to have been made from it in India, but 

 the samples of fiber sent to Europe were not favorably reported on as paper-making 

 materials. (See Kew Bull., 1879.) 



Compared with jute, according to Dr. Roxburgh's experiments, Sterculia fiber (S. vil- 

 losa) stood a strain of 53 pounds, against 68 pounds for jute, Corcliorus olitorius — C. cap- 

 sularis sustaining 1 pound less. Among other Indian species may be mentioned S.colo- 

 rata, inferior fiber, harsh and wiry. Reported as a worthless fiber by Hemp and Flax 

 Com. of Agri. Hort. Soc. of India. S. lanceafolia, fiber made from it in the Panjab. S. 

 urens yields a good fiber, samples of which were sent to the Paris Expos. 1878, employed 

 for paper. S. tomentosa is an Angola species which is said to afford excellent fiber. 



Stinging nettles. 



These plants belong to the genus rriica, Laportea, etc., the stingless nettles, or 

 cultivated species, being the Boelxmerias, etc. (see Nettle). Urtica dioica is the com- 

 mon stinging nettle of Europe. 

 12247— No. 9 20 



