RAMIE FIBER PRODUCTION 5 



must be removed quickly from the fields when cut, to allow the new 

 growth to develop. The harvested ramie must be prepared quickly 

 by one means or another or molding will occur with injury to the 

 quality of the fiber. This problem of molding offers difficulties in 

 regions of high humidity and rainfall. This factor has not given 

 a great deal of trouble in the Orient, as there all China grass is 

 prepared green shortly after harvest. However, it might be a serious 

 problem in the United States if the crop should be grown on a large 

 scale. 



Ramie, after becoming well established, will withstand drought, 

 but, as stated above, it must have an abundance of moisture for best 

 yields. It apparently requires more moisture than cotton, corn, or 



Figure 2. — Harvesting an experimental field of ramie. This ramie was allowed 

 to dry a few days before being tied into bundles and removed from the field. 

 Notice the abundance of leaves on the upper part of the stems. These induce 

 molding under warm, humid, climatic conditions. 



many other common field crops of the Cotton Belt. It has been 

 grown with success experimentally under irrigation in California 

 (fig. 2). 



SOILS AND FERTILIZERS 



A vegetative growth of stalks is required in ramie and not a pro- 

 duction of seed. Hence, soils are required that will produce vegeta- 

 tive growth. The rich alluvial river bottoms that allow drainage 

 are adapted to the crop. Although the light sandy soils of the 

 Coastal Plain area of the South have given variable results, there 

 have been frequent failures, possibly because of drought conditions 

 affecting the plant, as well as the lack of fertility. Excellent results 

 have been obtained with ramie on the Florida Everglades soils. 



