358 



DICKSON ON COLONEL ABBOTT'S EEPORT 



to see what could be grown so cheaply, so easily, and so 

 profitably. 



' ' The rheea fibre is well known to exist in large quantities 

 in all parts of the East — Assam, Singapore, Ceylon,* Java, 

 and China ; but not being now a recognised article of export, 

 it would be necessary to go through the very slow process of 

 teaching the natives, step by step, that it is worth their while 

 to cultivate it. The character of the natives there (except 

 Chinese) is such that it would be a work of long time to get 

 them to occupy the little time they do give to labour at all, 

 to a new employment, to which they are not much accus- 

 tomed, and the profit of which they would be slow to 

 discover. 



"No good opportunity has [yet occurred for ascertaining 

 the condition of China for exporting the China grass. This 

 will be ascertained as soon as possible. However, Mr. 

 Dickson, who has worked it largely, says it is not equal in 

 quality (as to fineness) to the rheea of India. 



" Inquiries are in course of being made as to supply from 

 Java, and the result willjbe communicated in a few months. 

 Mr. D. has prepared the Java rheea, and found it excellent in 

 quality. 



" Numerous Flax failures have arisen from the great defi- 

 ciency in supply of that material ; and Leeds, that could, in 

 the year 1836, boast of having thirty-nine Flax-spinning 



* Observing that a second company has been brought out for the purpose of 

 growing in Ceylon an additional supply of coffee for the English market, and 

 that their estates are not more than half occupied in growing coffee, and 10 per 

 cent, is the largest inducement they can hold out to influence the capitalists in 

 this country to take shares, surely, as these estates can produce an article that 

 will meet with as ready a market as coffee in Lancashire, material, second onlv 

 to silk, and gives a profit of 30 per cent, at least, they will not so far forget or 

 overlook their own interest as to neglect, or refuse in aiding in the formation 

 of a company to grow the rheea fibre, so ably described by Colonel Abbott, 

 from a thorough knowledge of its value and mode of cultivation. 



