OF THE VEGETABLE FIBRES OE JAMAICA, 



341 



Cordia Collococca. Clammy 



Cherry. 

 Brosimum spurium. Milk 

 Wood. 



Ficus elastica. India-rubber 

 Tree. 



„ religiosa. Pepnl Tree. 

 „ virens. Wild Fig Tree. 

 ,, Americana, Wild Fig 

 Tree. 



Hibiscus Rosa -Sinensis. Shoe- 

 black Tree. 

 „ liliiflorus. Lily- 

 flowered ditto. 



^Hibiscus esculentus. Ochra. 

 „ elatus. Mahoe. 

 „ latif alius. Broad- 

 leaved ditto. 

 * „ tilaceus. Sea-side do. 

 Lagetta lintearia. Lace Bark. 

 Daphne tinifolia. Burn-nose 

 Bark. 



° Cocosnucifera. Cocoa Nut. 

 &Artocarpus incisa. Bread 

 Fruit. 



Pterocarpus santalinus. Ptero- 

 carpus. 



Crotalaria juncea. Battlewort. 



"The above list will be found to comprise fibre of such 

 quality and colour, from the cocoa-nut coir to filaments 

 resembling fine silk in strength and lustre of appearance, 

 as cannot be surpassed. I might have extended the list to 

 greater length, but I believe the enumeration will convince 

 the most sceptical, that this island abounds with a highly 

 valuable description of textile plants, some of which are 

 considered troublesome weeds. Those of a ligeneous nature 

 will annually produce two crops of shoots, from which good 

 fibre may be obtained, requiring no machinery whatever in 

 preparing it for market. The method I have pursued, as 

 being the most easy and simple, is this : — Macerate the shoots 

 until the cuticle or outer bark separates freely from the true 

 bark: the latter will then be removed readily from the 

 ligeneous part, and requires but little labour or knowledge to 

 wash, dry, and pack the fibre for market : this would furnish, 

 healthy employment for children, the aged and infirm, and 

 would not diminish the amouut of labour on plantations. 



"For the plantain, finguin, and all similar herbaceous 

 plants, machinery is absolutely necessary to separate and 

 clean the fibre advantageously; when the desideratum is 



* The species of cactus called silk grass in Guinea, does net exceed^ 12 or 16 

 inches in length. 



