445 



need not be dilated on. The remaining four viz. Tuba Jenow, Tuba 

 Lucheh, Tuba Pahang, Tuba Ambi Ara are quite unknown to me, and 

 specimens identifiable are most desirable. Perhaps some of the Dis- 

 trict Officers, medical men and others who are in contact with the up 

 country Malays would take so much trouble as to make enquiries of 

 the natives as to these plants and get them to bring specimens for 

 identification. Plants of this nature are often valuable medicinally, 

 and it surely hardly needs to be pointed out how important it is to 

 be acquainted with the poisonous plants of any country. 



H. N. Ridley. 



RAMIE FIBRE. 



PROGRESS OF ITS MANUFACTURE IN EUROPE. 



Adaptability to Malaya Soil. 



(Written Specially for Straits Times.) 



It will be a matter of interest to planters of ramie fibre in the 

 Straits Settlements to learn that the progress made in the profitable 

 spinning of this fibre in 1906 was more than maintained in Europe 

 last year. 



In accordance with expectations formed, theErste Deutsch Ramie 

 Gesellschaft, of Emmendingin, Baden, Germany, declared an increased 

 dividend of 15 per cent., as against one of 12 per cent, for 1906, their 

 net profits amount to 197,382 marks for the year, as against 646,767 

 marks for 1906. This represents a net profit in English currency of 

 nearly £43,000. 



The mills established some two or three years age at Enschede, 

 Holland, and Grevin, Westphalia, are also making satisfactory pro- 

 gress, and it may be said generally that the sales and profits of the " 

 mills engaged in spinning the fibre, . with one or two exceptions, all 

 showed marked increases over those of the preceding year. It is to be 

 hoped that ramie growers in the Straits Settlements, so often referred 

 to as the best ramie growing area, may be able to find an increased 

 outlet in Europe for the product. 



The Faure Decorticator, according to a statement made by the 

 inventors and patentees, Messrs. A. Faure and Company, of Limoges, 

 France, is likely to be still further improved upon in many respects. 

 Of the two classes of these machines made by this firm, it may be 

 stated that the product of the large machine, which has been invented 

 with a view to obtaining a larger yield of dry fibre per working day, 

 than the 140 lbs. given by the smaller machine is not as good either 

 in regard to regularity or the manner in which it is cleaned as that 

 produced by the smaller machine, it being stated by ramie spinners to 



