71 



In 1891 the value of the fibre was estimated at about £18 pei* 

 ton (Kew Bull, Add. Ser. ii. p. 10). In 1901 it was selling at 

 £11-V12 per ton (Tech. Rep. & Sci. Papers, Imp. Inst. 1903, p. 87, 

 Bimlipatam Jute); in 1906 at £18 12s. 6d. per ton (Mon. Circ. 

 Ide & Christie, 15th June, 1906, Madras Jute. — Bimlipatam ; and 

 at the present time it is realising £12-£13 per ton (I.e. 15th Jan. 

 1909). 



The seeds are said to contain 15-20 per cent, of a clear limpid 

 oil, suitable for lubricating and illuminating purposes. In India 

 the roasted seeds are eaten by the natives, and the young leaves 

 are used as a pot-herb (Diet. Econ. Prod. Ind.). An infusion of 

 the leaves is used on the Gambia as a remedy for coughs (Kew 

 Bull. 1891, p. 269). 



A rich, loose soil is the most suitable, but the plant has been 

 described as doing well on dry lands, in red loams and gravels, 

 and in marshes. The seed may be sown broadcast, fairly thickly, 

 and thinned out to several inches according to evidence of 

 development. For fibre production the plant requires about three 

 or four months to come to maturity. The stems are usually cut 

 at the flowering stage ; but they are said to yield a stronger fibre 

 when mature. 



The yield per acre has been given as nearly 3 tons calculating 

 640,000 stems, each 100 stems producing one lb. of fibre (Diet. 

 Econ. Prod. Ind.). Another estimate has been put at nearly 

 1^ tons per acre (Spon's Encycl. p. 961). 



Re/.— Diet. Econ. Prod. Ind. iv., pp. 231-236.— Descr. Cat. 

 Useful Fib. PI. of the World, Dodge, Rep. No. 9, 1897, pp. 192-193, 

 Fibre Investigations, ll.S. Dept. of Agric. — "Kanaff or Deccan 

 Hemp," in Kew Bull. Add. Ser. ii. 1901, pp. 9-11.— Agric. Ledg. 

 No. 11, 1903, pp. 239-214.— Comm. Prod. Ind. Watt, 1908, 

 pp. 630-631. 



Hibiscus esculentus, Linn. ; Fl. Trop. Afr. I. p. 207. 



///. — Cav. Diss. t. 61 f. 2 ; Gilii & Xuarez, Rome, t. 3; Tuss. 

 Ant. i. t. 10 ; Desc. Ant. iv. t, 269 ; Bentl. & Trim. Med. PI. t. 36. 



Vernac. names. — Kubaiwa or Kubewa (Uausa, Dalziel) ; Bendi- 

 Kai ; Ochro, Okra (W. Africa, W. Indies) ; Gobbo ; Gumbo 

 (S. United States) ; Quimbombo (Cuba). — Edible Hibiscus ; Lady's 

 Fingers. 



Native of India ; distributed over the whole of Tropical Africa ; 

 naturalized in all tropical and many sub-tropical countries. 



The stem yields a good fibre, for particulars as to uses, prepara- 

 tion, &c, see the preceding species. 



A sample, grown in Cuba, submitted to Kew in 1890, was 

 valued in London at £18 to £20 per ton, described as moderately 

 stronger than Jute (Kew Bull. Add. Ser. ii. p. 9), and a sample 

 grown in S. Nigeria, recently submitted to the Imperial Institute, 

 was valued at £18 per ton ; described as white, lustrous, and 

 rather harsh, the latter quality being due, it was suggested, to 

 the plants being old (Bull. Imp. Inst. 1908, p. 128). 



The young pods are used everywhere as a vegetable; they make 

 good pickles and, being very mucilaginous, are largely used for 



