104 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [June, 



has become an immense trade, of which Bradford has at present al- 

 most a monopoly, although the manufacture has lately been extend- 

 ing in many parts of New England. Four-fifths of these goods are 

 of mixed material — that is, are made with cotton warps. And for 

 many articles of the kind, especially for those requiring a stiff, strong, 

 and cool texture, combined with a glossy, silky appearance, it is 

 found that the prepared China grass makes the very best material. 



Of course, the grass manufacture is yet in very few hands, but its 

 development already, even within the last few months, has been 

 signally rapid. The market value of the raw material has for some 

 years past maintained itself at the very high rate of about 80/. per 

 ton, which price it is supposed cannot be much lessened for many 

 years to come. Two things are certain in this respect : one, that 

 there is now, and will be here, a practically limitless market for all 

 raw " grass" that can be imported at from 70/. to 80/. per ton ; the 

 other, that under any fluctuations of the market the material is in- 

 trinsically so valuable that it will always in the future command a 

 price as high as that of cotton, and nearly or quite as high as that of 

 worsted itself, if not even higher. 



Here, then, is a great and rapidly increasing market for a certain 

 vegetable production at a very high price. In America we have, on 

 the other hand, vast tracts of country which, being in the same lati- 

 tude and with very much the same climate as those districts of China 

 of which the grass is native, should be able to grow this production 

 to great advantage. Why not, then, introduce its culture ? 



It seems certain that the manufacture of the grass fibre will be esta- 

 blished in our country at no distant day ; but in the meantime 

 there is a market in England for all that we can conveniently grow. 

 It is, for our planters, simply a question of experiment with the seed, 

 having in view the market price of the raw produce. Successful 

 experiments have been made very recently in Java and in India, 

 proving that the grass will grow in any climate warm enough for 

 the culture of cotton and sugar, provided the ground chosen be 

 sufficiently moist. 



I venture to suggest that further information, as well as quan- 

 tities of the seed, &c, can doubtless be furnished by our Consular 

 Officers in China, especially, perhaps, by the Consul at Hankow, 



