Nettle. The fibre prepared from it, and imported into England, is 

 known under the inappropriate name of China Grass. 



China grass fibre generally obtains double the price in London of 

 Rhea. Some writers state that the variety tenacissima produces the 

 strongest fibre. 



Introduction into Jamaica. — The white-leaved variety was intro- 

 duced into Jamaica in the year 1854 by Mr. Nathaniel Wilson, Island 

 Botanist, and grown with great success in the Botanic Garden at Bath. 

 Plants were distributed from that centre as early as the year 1855. 

 In 1884, Mr. D. Morris, at that time Director of Public Gardens and 

 Plantations, issued Instructions on the Cultivation of Ramie, and also 

 discussed the subject in a Public Lecture at the Jamaica Institute on 

 " Native and other Fibre Plants." Shortly after the delivery of this 

 lecture, the late Hon. Dr. Phillippo delivered another Institute Lecture 

 specially devoted to the subject of Ramie, giving results of his own 

 experiments as well as general information on the whole subject. Dr. 

 Phillippo had already in 1881 introduced the green-leaved variety into 

 the Island from Haiti. At this time and for 3 or 4 years subsequently, it 

 was confidently expected that the Favier-Fremy process had solved the 

 difficulty of preparation of the fibre. At the present time when hopes 

 have been raised that Ramie may still become one of the industrial 

 products of the island, it has been thought advisable to issue these 

 notes for the information and consideration of the public. 



Cultivation. 



Climate. — The Malayan Ramie is essentially a native of an equato- 

 rial insular climate, with an equable temperature all the year round, 

 and abundance of moisture. It has not succeeded well in India, except 

 in the south where a Company is growing it, because in summer it is 

 subjected to long-continued droughts and in winter to cold weather. 

 In Jamaica there are no great extremes of temperature, and therefore 

 wherever there is a sufficiency of fresh water for the roots, Ramie 

 will flourish. Even in localities where the annual rainfall does not 

 exceed 50 inches, it would probably succeed with irrigation. 



The Chinese White Nettle is a continental plant, and apparently 

 more accomodating as regards moisture and drought than the 

 Malayan variety. It has grown luxuriantly in Jamaica from sea level 

 up to perhaps 3,000 feet, and there is no reason to suppose that there 

 would be any difficulty in cultivating it at the highest elevations. In 

 Europe it succeeds best in the more northern areas, and the Malayan 

 variety in the southern. In America, it is said that the Chinese va- 

 riety is the more successful. 



Soil. — This plant will grow in Jamaica in almost any soil except 

 stiff clay. It grows best in a rich sandy loam, which is 12 to 15 inches 

 deep, with a free subsoil. It is important to have perfect drainage, 

 for it is intolerant of stagnant water. 



Preparation of Ground. — The more thoroughly the ground is tilled 

 before planting, the quicker will the roots penetrate the soil, and the 

 more satisfactory will be the result, 



Propagation and Planting. — Ramie is propagated with some diffi- 

 culty from seed, but easily by cuttings from the stem, and very readily 



