ILIBRA'RY I 



Circular No. 585 



December 1940 • Washington, D. Q U. 3, Isp 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



i 



Ramie Fiber Production 



By Brittain B. Robinson, agronomist, Division of Cotton and Other Fiber Crops 



and Diseases, Bureau of Plant Industry 



CONTENTS 



Page 



Introduction 1 



History and botany 2 



Where cultivated 2 



Adaptation 4 



Soils and fertilizers 5 



Culture 6 



Time and methods of harvesting 7 



Page 



Fiber preparation 9 



Yields. 9 



Production 10 



Domestic market and importations 11 



Manufacturing and uses . 11 



Fiber characteristics and potential value . 13 



Summary 13 



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INTRODUCTION 



Ramie is the name used to designate a stingless nettle plant and 

 also the textile bast fiber obtained from the plant. This fiber plant 

 has attracted an unusual amount of attention and financial exploita- 

 tion. The interest in ramie has resulted because of the beautiful 

 luster possessed by the fiber and its reported durability and great 

 strength. It probably ranks first among all vegetable fibers in respect 

 to strength. 2 The interest in this fiber was initiated when prizes 

 were offered in India for improvements in methods of processing and 

 has been great during the past 70 years. However, ramie is utilized 

 little more today than it was 50 years ago. 



What obstacles prevent this fiber from being more extensively used, 

 and why is it still a relatively unimportant or minor fiber? An 

 effort will be made in this circular, while discussing some of the agri- 

 cultural problems connected with the successful growing of the crop, 

 to point out some of the obstacles that have impeded the production 

 of this fiber and that must be overcome if, under present economic 

 conditions and competition from other plant fibers, a ramie industry 

 is to be established in this country. A number of problems should 

 be carefully considered by investors before the expenditure of capital. 



The purpose of this circular is to answer numerous general inquiries 

 for information about ramie. The discussion on the agricultural 



1 This circular is a revision of, and supersedes, Miscellaneous Circular No. 110, Ramie, A Fiber-Yielding 

 i'lant, by Lyster H. Dewey. 



2 Matthews, J. Merritt. textile fibers. Ed. 4, 1053 pp., illus. New York and 

 London. 1924. 



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