planting  as  a hedge  along  the  line,  to  keep  off  trespassing  cattle, 
goats  and  other  animals. 
3.  The  General  Manager  for  Railways  is  of  opinion  that  Bambu 
hedges  are  unsuitable,  because  cattle  can  push  through  the  strongest 
bambu  hedges,  cost  cjf  maintenance,  trimming  &c.,  would  be  too 
high,  bambu  does  not  thrive  in  wet  swamjjy  ground. 
*4.  You  may  happen  to  know  of  some  cactus  or  other  strong 
thornv  plant  which  would  serve  the  desired  purpose. 
1 have,  &c., 
W.  H.  PREACHER, 
J\esi(ic)it  (/eneral , F.  M.  S. 
I'llF  DiRKC'I'OU  Ol'  Gardkns, 
Stnri/s  Set f lemcnt s,  Siii<^apore. 
Botanic  Gardens,  Singapore, 
Straits  Setttements, 
June  J^‘)tti,  rgo^. 
Sir, — I have  the  honour  to  acknowledge  your  letter- of  June  I ith 
asking  about  fencing  plants  for  the  Railways  in  the  Federated 
Malay  States,  I should  recommend  Inga  dulcis  (Madras  thorn)  it 
will  grow  al^rlo^t  anywhere  and  does  not  object  to  swamp.  It  grows 
dense  and  does  not  require  much  topping.  Where  cattle  are  a 
nuisance  in  breaking  through  we  use  also  Mauritius  hemp,  green 
aloe,  Fourcrova  gigantea  the  long  spiny  leaves  of  which*  prevent 
anv  animal  from  passing. 
Cactus  is  useless  in  swamp,  and  is  only  suitable  for  sandy  spots. 
Sometimes  we  plant  here  both  a row  of  green  aloe  outside  the 
more  permanent  hedge  of  thorn,  so  as  to  prevent  the  animals 
crossing  or  eating  the  thorn  till  it  has  grown  up  as  the  aloes  grow 
faster,  though  they  are  not  so  long  lived. 
I have,  &c., 
The  Resident  General, 
Federated  Malay  States. 
HENRY  KIDLEY. 
Director. 
THE  GROWTH  OF  MURVA  FIBRE. 
I)  All  I 1 IGA,  2^///  A/ai',  /poj. 
— I have  the  honour  to  acknowledge  receipt  of  your  letter 
No.  R.  (j.  353  FY>3  oI  the  23rd  instant  on  the  subject  of  Mur\a 
fibre,  or  wSansevieria  zeylanica,  and  to  report  as  follows: 
2.  Murva  or  Moorva  fibre  is  the  product  of  Sansevierla  rox- 
Sourrr.  burghiana — now  recognised  as  distinct  from  S.  zeyla- 
nica, which  plant  was  formerly  supposed  to  yield  this 
