January 2, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
475 
together by ooutact or adhesion of the cell-walls, or 
cemented by a third substance. In the cases of straw 
and Esparto grass, the whole plant is regarded as 
a fibrous raw material. 
A certaiu uuit of length is required in spinning pro- 
cesses, and the value of a raw material depends on 
the length, fineness, or divisibility of the libre bundles 
of which it is composed. .Strength and durability are 
also qualities which determine its value, and these 
depenil upon the ultimate structure aud chemical 
composition — ascertained by laboratory investigation. 
That portion of raw Gbre material which resists the 
ordinary agonts and alkaline solvents used in bleaching, 
is the cellular basis of the material, consisting of 
ultimate fibres or fibre cells, which vary in length ac- 
cording to the plant source from which they are 
derived. The lengths of these individual cells with 
their proportion in weight to the raw fibre, are taken 
as tests of value — " Constants," as they are technically 
tormed. 
Flax, hemp, rhea, and jute, which are the fibres of 
dicotyledonous plants, possess a percentage of cellulose 
varying only from 75 to NO degree*, while the length 
of ultimate fibre, which in tlax is set down at 25-40 mm. 
and in jute at 3m. rises to (iO-200 mm. in rhea; aud in 
mouocotyledonoug platits, furnishing a large proportiou 
of rope-mateii d such as manilla ( Musu) or plantain, New 
Zealand (lux (Pliormium) and Agave, cellulose is from 
ti'i to 70 pur cent aud the length of fibre from 2-8 mm. 
to 8-15 mm. 
Tbore are other fibres than the above which are 
used in textile manufacture, but these are unavailable 
for that purpose, aud require to be broken up by chem- 
ical action in order to serve the purposes of the paper- 
mikor. Bamboo; straw, aud Esparto are entire stems 
or leaves of mnuocotyledouous plants, and are treated 
by boiling at high temperatures, for separation of fibrous 
portions, by washing and by bleaching. Mr. Cross re- 
fers, for details of the various chemical methods 
employed, to a paper in the Chemical Society's 
Journal for 1893. Much inform ition is also to be found 
in Mr. Christy's "New Cninnioric.il Plants and Drugs " 
No. vi. "Spoil's Hueyclop.e li.i ol the Industrial Arts 
1881, " but the report m ido by Mr. Cross to the Indian 
Government will, when accessible, be of the greatest 
value to this and ot her colonies. 
The real value of the fibres of the West Indies, 
(with which Mr. Cross includes those of Guiaua), will 
be moro appreciate! when this work is published. 
No fibre exhibited by British Guiana appears to have 
presented any qualities greatly superior to those pos- 
sessed by other and better known products. Megass 
from the sugar-cane has been considered worthy of 
attention as a paper material, and >ome machinery 
was erected in this colouy for its conversion into 
" half stuff," but Mr. Cross declarer, it to be inferior 
to that yielded by bamboo, and not to be recom- 
mended to paper-makers, lie doubts whether by any 
process it could hi' converted into a usuful paper-making 
material at a reasonable cost. 
Banana fibres are ol fair length, and have been pioved 
to possess good paper-making properties. Mr. Cross 
obtained by treating the raw material, 31 per cent, of 
a well bleached, clean, tough fibre. So low a yield 
however is to bo regarded as prohibitory, a yield of 
50 to GO per cent being necessary before a fair prico 
OQUld be realized in Europe. Paper from Banana 
w is shewn to the members of the K. A. & 0. Society 
and this, nmoug other qualities, could be written on 
without being siz al. 
The fibre ot the silk-cotton i Eriodtndxon infract uosuin) 
was exhibited from several colonies hi sides British 
(iiiinun, and some remarks on it have been already 
laid before the l.'oyal Agi icultnr.il and Commercial 
Society. It differs in structure from true cotton ; the 
latter is always somewhat tlattene I, and possesses a 
natural twist peculiar to itself, while silk-cotton fibres 
are straight cylindrical tub. s. silk-cotton has a peculiar 
absorbent quality, which may adapt it for surgical dress- 
ings. At present, its chief ih«< appears to be for bed- 
ding, for which purpose it is well adapted. 
The basts from this colony, o( which two typi- 
cal specimens, Enouroo and Koltoyoko, wore analys- 
ed by Mr. Cross, gave results shewing them to be 
valuele-s. 
Khea grass is nriro likely to be a profit ib!e 1 b- 
ject for cultivation lu re than any fibre-plants we 
I ossess, and a largo number of pamphlets about it 
have been distributed in this colouy. In hi tnp sub- 
stitutes and " uueuumerate I fibres," the Wrist In li s 
now play an interior part, but Mr. Cross thinks that 
a large proportion of this commerce can be ^rested 
by them from those now holding it. 
The commercial issue as to the value of a fibre-product 
entirely depends on the cost of putting down the treated 
material at the several ports, in a condition which 
would ensure its conversion into pulp at no gre iter 
loss than 10 per cent., and such a product, Mr. Gross 
estimates, to he worth .CS per toil. 
It must be remembered that the foregoing esti- 
mate is based upon a purely laboratory valuation ; 
and though " sida " from the West Indies will com- 
pete with jute, and " grugru " is capable of competing 
with hemp, the cost of production and freight, aud 
extent of regular supply are not taken into consider- 
ation. If those latter conditions are favourable with 
regard to auy one fibre, and the analysis shews the 
assistance of a superiority of quality, there may be 
prospect of success ; but calculations have to be care- 
fully aud thoroughly made, before any dependence 
should be placed upon the introduction of any fibre, 
at present comparatively unknown. 
Leather, Furs, Hides, and Tanning materials were 
not represented in the British Guiana Court, with 
the exception of some ocelot, baboon, otter, deer, and 
other skins, which, from want of proper preparation, 
were in bad condition. 
I regret that this was the cause, because in the 
Local Exhibition of 1885, we bad such excellent speci- 
mens from Mr. Frank of Eliza and Mary, and others 
of well prepared leather from goats. So extensively 
are crocodile and alligator skins used at home, that 
one would think it worth while to kill and export 
the skins of the caymans which are so numerous in 
our trenches. So-called " Porpoise-Skin " i«, I believe, 
the produce of the horse, or, at all events, horse- 
hides are dressed and sold as porpoise-leather. Some 
years ago I sent home the skins of porpoises captured 
duriug a short cruize " amoug the Caribbees," aud 
they were converted into excellent leather. Porpoise- 
catching might he followed as au adjunct to other 
fishing, since the oil and the skin are both valuable, 
The Tanning barks of British Guiana were passed 
over in the Report now under notice. There are other 
sources whence much useful information as to the 
qualities of the several harks growu here may be 
obtained. The Chamber of Commerce in London took 
notice of such materials exhibited from other parts 
of the world. Some ol these, however, are to be fouud 
hero or are capable of cultivation, and with encourage- 
ment, a fair supply could be raised and exported 
from this colouy. 
Mr. Lastoll's paper on Timber is somewhat dis- 
appointing as far as this colony is concerned, because, 
although hu visited our Court aud closely examined 
our numerous and varied exhibits, he has offered no 
opinion ns to their suitability to the English market 
or English requirements. His observations on each 
specimen are repetitious of those descriptive remarks 
which when, compiling the catalogue, 1 borrowed 
from Mr. MeTurk's list of specimens in former ex- 
hibitions, and of those furnished by Messrs. Park ft 
Cunningham, It would have been moro satisfactory 
if ono could have gained from the report tho opinion 
of Knglu.li experts as to the valuo of our timbers 
Mr. Lasted says the timber of the colony was well' 
represented, and that there is quite a mine of wealth 
in our forests. That is so ; but our exhibits were 
sent not merely to attract attention to the quantity 
and variety of our limber product, but to elicit, from 
home consumers some opinions fouudud on their 
experience and their requirements. 
It is true that Messrs. Kausom invited the i'>m- 
misaioners to send specimens of prescribed sizes, which 
were longer than British Guiana could supply, for tho 
purpose of their Iniug worked up by the machinery 
