340 



DICKSON ON MR. N. WILSON'S REPORT 



possessing the finest fibres and the greatest number of textile 

 plants in the world, hitherto of no avail to the country in 

 general, and held of little value by individuals, but which 

 may now be turned to the greatest account in a national 

 point of view; the universal demand and scarcity of fibre, 

 its high and daily increasing price, rendering the materials 

 from which it is manufactured of the highest importance. 

 We have many indigenous and eminently textile plants 

 diffused over the island, but partially or not at all known 

 to be applicable for textile purposes, except to a few gentlemen 

 acquainted with the botany of the country. I have, therefore, 

 prepared for general information! fifty-one samples of fibres, 

 the greater part of which are indigenous ; as you will observe 

 by the following list comprising them :— 



* Yucca gloriosa. Adam's 

 Needle, 5—6 ft. 



Yucca aloifolia. Common 

 Dagger. 



*Bromelia Karatas. Silk- 

 grass leaves, 10 — 12 ft. 



Bromelia Pinguin. Pinguin* 



* Ananas sativa. Pine-apple. 



*Musa sapientum. Banana. 



* „ var. Martinique Ba- 



nana. 



* „ paradisiaca. Plantain. 



* „ Cavendishii. Chinese 



Plantain. 



* „ violacea. Violet- 



flowered ditto. 

 „ coccinea. Scarlet 

 flowered ditto. 

 *Heliconia Bihai. Wild Plan- 

 tain. 



* „ Brasiliensis. Ditto 



of Brazil. 



* „ psittacorum. Parrot 



beak ditto. 

 Tillandsia serrata. Wild 

 Pine (epiphyte). 

 „ usneoid.es. Wild Pine. 



Pandan us spiralis. Screw Pine. 

 Agave Americana. American 

 Aloe. 



*Canna Inclica. Indian Shot. 



Trhimfetta semitriloba. Com- 

 mon Burbark — a weed. 



*Malvaviscus arboreus. Bastard 

 or Wild Mahoe. 



Abroma augusta. Abroma,, 



Kydia calycina. Tree, 25 ft. 



Heh'cteres Jamaicensis. Screw 

 Tree. 



Guazuma ulmifolia. Bastard 

 Cedar. 



Kleinhoffia liospita. Tree, 25 — 

 30 ft, 



Sida sp. Shrub, 6—8 feet. 

 OcJiromalagopus. Down Tree. 

 *Cecropia pellata. Trumpet 

 Tree. 



Cordia JSebestena. Scarlet 

 Cordia. 



Cordia Gerascantlius. Spanish 

 Elm 



„ macropliylla. Man- 

 jack, or broad leaved 

 Cherry. 



