240 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [August r, 1881. 
into matting and imitation horsehair cloth, with 
good effect. The short fibre separated by the pro- 
cesses described above, may also be carded and spun ; 
while the waste is an excellent material for strong 
■wrapping and envelope paper. The fibre, exposed 
for 2 hours to steam at 2 atmos., boiled in water for 
3 hours, and again steamed for 4 hours, lost 5 '55 
per cent of its weight as compared with Manilla 
hemp, 6'07 ; phormium, 6T4 ; hemp, 6T8-S-44. Some 
slips of sized paper weighing 39 gr. made from this 
fibre, bore an average weight of S9 lb., as against 
Bank of England note pulp 47 lb. It is the most 
highly approved of all paper fibres, making a strong, 
tough, smooth paper, which feels like oiled paper, 
and , even while unsized, may be written on without 
the ink running. Its price is governed by that of 
Manila hemp, being generally £7-£10 a ton less than 
the latter. With proper care in the preparation, this 
difference should be much reduced. The fibre pre- 
pared in India is harsh and brittle, though of good 
colour ; it is not met with in commerce. 
Crotalaria Jukcea — Sunn Hemp. — Exogen , 4-S ft. 
It is indigenous to S. Asia, snd is widely dispersed 
throughout Tropical Australasia ; it is common in 
every part of India, and is extensively cultivated, 
especially in the N.-W. provinces, where it takes the 
place held by jute [Uorchorus) in Bengal. Some 
50,000 acres are occupied by it 111 the Punjab. 
Cultivation. — The plant is grown in various kinds of 
soil. In Bengal, high, rich land is preferred, well 
ploughed, and freed from weeds; in the N. Circars, 
a strong clay suits it best ; in the Deccan, any soil 
seems to suit it, and it kills out weeds. The season 
for sowing depends upon the rains. One crop, sown 
in June, is generally harvested about August-Septem- 
ber ; another, sown in October, is gathered in April. 
The quantity of seed used varies between 801b. and 
125 lb. an acre. It is sown very thickly during 
showery weather, and is covered by harrowing or 
other rough means. It grows very rapidly , and if 
sown thick enough, keeps down weeds. Scarcely any 
attention is necessary. The yield of fibre averages 
about 700 an acre. When required for fine purpose", 
the plants are gathered in flower ; when greater 
strength is sought, they are left till in seed, or even 
until the seed is ripe. The harvesting is effected by 
uprooting the plants, and reaping is very rarely re- 
sorted to. After the plants are gathered, they are 
laid in ridges for 5-12 days, which causes the leaves 
to decay aud fall off. 
Extraction and Preparation of the Fibre. — When the 
stems have been cleansed of leaves, &c, they are 
submitted to a retting process of varying duration 
according to the season. It is usual for the first 
day to submerge only the lower portion of the stems,, 
which, being thicker, require longer maceration than 
the more tender parts. It has been suggested that 
the fibre would be improved by first sun-drying tho 
stems for 2 days, and by reducing the term of retting. 
The latter is continued till the tibre separates easily 
from the stem, when it is cleansed almost exactly in 
the same manner as already described with jute (p. 
943). After thorough washing, it is dried and combed. 
Characters and Uses of theFibre. — The dimensions 
of the filaments are :— length : max. 0 - 472 in., min : 
0-157 in., mean 0'30in. ; diameter: max. 0-0020 in., 
min. 0 001 in., mean 00015 in. The dressed fibre 
varies in length from 3 ft. G in. to 7 ft. Experiments 
made upon its strength gave a breaking strain of 
407 lb. Samples of the fibre exposed for 2 hours to 
steam at 2 atmos , boiled in water for 3 hours, and 
again steamed for 4 hours, lost only 293 per cent by 
weight, as against flax 3-50, Manilla hemp 6'07, hemp 
6' 18-8 '44, The average weight sustained by slips of 
aized paper weighing 39 gr,, made from the ' ; raw " 
fibre, was 641b., as compared with Bank of England 
note pulp, 47 lb. One batch was reported to mak6 
a nice, clean, smooth paper of good colour, but not 
taking ink well ; another worked "wet" during pulp- 
ing, but bore ink well. The fibre is remarkably well 
adapted for cordage and netting. Large quantities are 
shipped for the English market, aDd it forms ihe bulk 
of the so-called "hemp" exported from India. 
Patent Manures. — In accordance with a suggestion 
of Colonel Beddome the Government have sanctioned 
the expenditure of a sum not exceeding R. 1,000 for 
the experimental trial of various patent manures. It 
is understood that valuable artificial manure can be 
obtained from the firms on the West Coast, Mr. W. 
Rowson, Assistant Superintendent, Government Chin- 
cbona Plantations, JMeddiwuttum, having proposed 
"that our soils be sent home for analysis, and that 
suitable patent manure be procured from England. ' 
The Government have replied that no analysis of the 
soils need be made at present. — Madras Mad. 
Why so much Quinine is required in the United 
States: — Malaria seems to be developing with alarm- 
ing rapidity around New York. One large jewellery 
manufactory in New Jersey is to be abandoned in 
consequence of the unhealthy character of the neigh- 
bourhood, new buildings being erected on a safer site 
at considerable expense to the owner, and this, as 
the American Architect points out, is only one piece 
of evidence of the growing gravity of the malaria 
question. A generation ago malaria was as little 
dreaded about New York as it would be in London, 
but now some of the most beautiful suburbs of the 
city are becoming depopulated from this cause, and 
town after town is attacked by the ague, which 
never again releases its bold. — Graphic. 
Cure for. Coffee Leaf Disease.— Mr. Jacob P. 
Storck, of the Bewa, informs us that the coffee trees 
which ho has cured of Hemileia Vastatrix, and the 
treatment of which was discontinued in July last, con- 
tinue perfectly free from disease and are rapidly- 
growing in size. The unimpaired state of health of 
his nursery, as well as the circumstance of self-sown 
seedlings springing up cle^n are indisputable proofs of 
the thorough and lasting disinfection of the once badly 
infected area. Mr. Storck claims to be the first who 
has succeeded in effecting the cure without employing 
any chemicals dangerous to vegetable life. The treat- 
ment is adaptable to the largest estates, is economical, 
and possesses other points of merit which he hopes to 
see appreciated at no distant day. The trees are 
treated iii full foliage, and the process would cost 
about four pounds per acre to be effected [at the end 
of say three months of sharp work. — Fiji Times, 
April 13th, 
Artificially Raised Japan Teas. — We take the 
following paragraph from the Japan Herald Mail 
Summary of the 14th May 1881 :— Within the last 
two or three days, a few small parcels of artificially 
raised Teas of this season have come to hand, amounting 
frorn a few catties to perhaps half a picul in one muster" 
The first small lots commanded a rate of from §150 
to $200 per picul, but recently prices paid have been 
about $80 to S90 per picul. The total amount of these 
which will-go forward by the steamer will be some 
5 to 6 piculs. It is to be regretted that this anxiety 
has been exhibited to obtain Teas which can merely 
be looked on in the light of a curio, as they, being 
artificially raised, will not convey the slightest info'ma- 
tion regarding either the quality or style of leaf of 
coming hrst crop. The accounts of prices paid will find 
their way into the native papers, and be reproduced 
therein with sundry embellishments, which, being read 
by the producers up country, will greatly tend to 
make them hold out for exorbitant prices when.tha= 
market for the New Crop really opens, — Tea, Gazette.. 
