44 



the full length fibre there is always a certain proportion of short 

 lengths, which, in scutching and combing, mostly run to tow. With 

 stems of less height, this difficulty is likely to be lessened. 



All these are differences in the natural properties of the fibre itself, 

 and independent of variations produced by a different mode of prepara- 

 tion. The latter, which will be superadded to those inherent in the 

 fibre as grown, will be hardly less considerable. There is the difference 

 between the fibre obtained from the green stems and that from the dry 

 stems. The subsequent chemical treatment may result in a greater or 

 less disaggregation of the original fibre, and materially influence its 

 character. On all these grounds it appears that the ramie brought into 

 the market will, under any circumstances, even with the most perfect 

 methods of cultivation and preparation, manifest considerable differenes 

 in its quality and property — differences greater than is the case with 

 other fibres. As before explained, it is quite likely that, even from 

 the same plantation, some of the produce may be remarkable for strength, 

 but deficient in fineness and gloss ; another portion, fine and glessy, 

 but less strong ; another, by its roughness and hairiness, approaching 

 wool in its character. 



Ultimately, this very range in the quality may prove an advantage ; 

 but first, in the experimental stage, it is a decided disadvantage ; and 

 it can be easily shown that this is, in itself, a sufficient reason why it 

 is impossible to expect that ramie should, from the first, command such 

 high prices as its good qualities are likely to ensure to it, after its cul- 

 tivation and preparation have become more developed. A high price 

 of necessity restricts the application of the fibre to the very finest pur- 

 poses. Now, it is the invariable characteristic of high-class manufac- 

 ture to require perfect uniformity in the quality of the material used in 

 it Not only must each bale of fibre used for fine purposes be as nearty 

 as possible uniform in its quality, but it is likewise necessary to ensure 

 the steady supply of other bales as uniform, and of the very same 

 quality. Tt is an established fact, that in the case of any inequality in 

 the material, the whole quantity will sink almost to the value of the 

 lowest quality contained in the mixture, and that no high-class expen- 

 sive machinery will ever be established, unless there are grounds for 

 expecting that the quality of the raw material will be uniformly main- 

 tained. In any other case, the fibre can only be used for rougher pur- 

 poses, and worked on simpler machinery, in which such variations in 

 quality are of no moment. 



As before explained, there will be in the case of ramie even greater 

 difficulties than in the case of other fibres, in ensuring this perfect 

 equality in condition, as a considerable amount of variation in the 

 character of the fibre is unavoidably connected with the very nature of 

 the growth of the plant. It will require a perfect knowledge of the 

 nature of the plant, and of the fibre and its working, and a perfect 

 mutual understanding between the agriculturist growing it, the ma- 

 chinist cleaning it, and the manufacturer spinning it. This can only be 

 the slow result of time, and will only have been attained when cultiva- 

 tion being more extended, the trade conducted on a larger scale, it will 

 be possible to carry out a complete sub-division of the crop according 

 to its various qualities, and when the best practical uses of each quality 

 will have been ascertained. Moreover, in any case, even with the agri- 



