Sept. 1, 1902. J 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
stems ia generally taken by the purchaser b.s a 
basis for his Cilcalatious; but thi^ is eubjact to 
great variations, and often a great loss of vegetable 
liquid takei place in an incredibly short time, when 
the almosphre is dry. Then the sterna have more 
or less leaves and are more or less compact, ac- 
cording to the season, which causes the weight to 
vary. In fact, some stem3 grown in the summer 
have been found of inferior weight to those grown 
in the spring, though of the same demensions. In 
a carefully cultivated hectare (2i acres) we find from 
thirty to forty sterna per square yard, about Gl 
inches high, which means 400,000 stems per hectare 
each crop. The average weight of free fibres ia 
about 3 to 3i grammes per stem, or 1,200 kilos (one 
kilo=2 1 lb.) for 400, JO t siam i , and for four crops 
per per annum 4,800 kilos of " filasse " (fibres not 
quite completely degnmmed). Supposing, in round 
numbers, a yield of 4,0C0 kilos of degummed fibre 
per hectare, the sum realised at the present price 
of 8jO fr, per ton would be 3,400 fr. (£135, or £45 
per acr<r). It is impossible to estimate the exact 
profit to the grower on account of the varying con- 
conditions of production in different localities, but 
an average minimum of £10 per acre may be 
counted on, and though tlie first cost of phmting ia 
considerable, the maintenance of the plantation ia 
very simple and inexpensive. To estimate the value 
of the crop by the gross weight of the stems often 
leads to serious- discrepancies. Though 400,000 green 
stems weigh, as a rule, 18 to 22 toni, they lose 
rapidly in weight by evaporation and falling of 
leaves, and sometimes the same number of stems 
only weigh 15 to 13 tons, though containing no less 
weight of fibre than the heavier ones, This depends 
on the season, the quantity of moisture they hold, 
and the number of leaves. The profits on ramie grow- 
ing depend on — 
(1) Whether the cultivator sells hia crop growing, 
(2) "Whether he prepares it more or less by de- 
cortication or other means, when he will have 
the profit also on this supplementary work- 
in the latter case it ia the production in fibre which 
rnnst be considered, but this varies in quality »nd 
cost, according to the processes it passes through, 
and which aro more or less costly. 
Those interested in ramie seem to have constantly 
tried to obtain, by mechanical treatment, an article 
equal to China-grass, and have not thought it necessary 
to preserve the original great length of the fibres or 
their parallelism. Some of the decorticating machines, 
which operate quickly and have a large production, cut 
the fibres. This, however, makes it more convenient 
for the manufacturer, as, vjhen entangled, the long 
filaments are difficult to comb. 
li is quite clear that if we, by a simple preli- 
minary process can eliminate the expense and risk of 
degnmming the raw material l»ter. the product from 
this treatment will have a very different value to 
the manufacturer from that of the ordinary coarse 
strips, and a large daily production does not necea- 
Barily mean a larger profit. The growers and manu- 
facturers have, perhaps, hitherto been wrong in seek- 
ing only to produce a rich and superior article, and 
the description of ramie, as a vegetable silk, has done 
harm. The large textile factories seem really to re- 
quire a fibre of good quality, but ordinary preparation, 
wljich they, by ulterior manipulation, can convert 
in'.o superior goods. The aim should be to produce 
ramie fibi'e at a price between that of cotton and 
linen, when, according to certain economists, the 
consumption would be unlimited. 
THE CLIMATE MOST SUITABLE FOR KAMIE GROWINO. 
A warm climate with frequent rains, amounting to a 
total of 8 feet or more per annum, or abundant irri- 
gation in place.^ where there are dry periods, suits the 
ramie plant best, and where the temperature does not 
fall below freezing point. 
M 'DE OF CULTIVATION. 
There is no doubt that plautatiins on a large scale, 
where maohinery can be used for cutting and decorti. 
eating, will pay best, as the mannfacturera require 
large quantities of a uniform quality, which can not 
be assured when buying' small lots grown in different 
parts. Decorticating and degumming should bo done 
on the spot to prevent fermentation, as it ia almost 
impossible to avoid damage — at any rate to the 
interior of bales of gummy fibres when shipped long 
distance?- China-grass can be transported safely 
because it only contains about 25 to 30 per cent, of 
the original gum. 
The cultivation of ramie is very simple, and consifts 
principally in a thorough preparation of the soil. It 
ehoulil be planted in good deep soil, the clayey, sili- 
cate, calcareous, and that rich in humus being the best 
for the rapid production of good crops. In regions 
where there is not a regular rainfall irrigation must be 
resorted to. 
The preparation of the soil consists in— - 
1. A deep ploughing (by stream plough preferably), 
2- Workioa the surface light. 
3. Making irrigation channels spaced acsording to 
the volume of water at disposal. 
The land should be level, and the plants or roots 
placed 10 to 12 inches apart in shallow furrows, 
spaced about 12 inches. After closing the furrows the 
plants must be watered. Planting in ridges ia not to 
be recommended. After the soil becomes dry it should 
be worked over again twice. 
In a plantation spaced as above it will be found ira- 
posoible to dig after a lapse of two months, and 
irrigating only has to be attended to. In a few months 
the growth will have become bo compact that all 
labour is impossible and useless. The annual work ia 
then limited to irrigation and to applying periodically 
artificial fertilisers, such as nitrates and superphos- 
phates. In fact, the principal cost of growing ramie 
is at the commencement, and may be calculated 
according to the price of labour in the locality — 
1. Deep ploughing. 
2. Keeping the soil light. 
3. Planting 1 hectare (2J aores)=two or three days' 
labour. 
4. Cost of plants. 
5. Digging up several times. 
The price of plants in a locality where ramie ia 
grown is about 4a. per 1.000, but of course in other 
places one may have to pay considerably more. 
A good European mower can cut by han.i and put 
in small bundles about 2,500 stems per hour ; but the 
mechanical reaper is quite suitable for green ramie. 
If the process of treatment neceasit ites the stripping 
of the leaves, an adult woman can do about 400 
stems per hour, and it is best to do it before cut- 
ting. 
A good rimie fi?ld should show close and even growth 
like a field of wheat when the stems will be straight, 
have few leaves at the base, and the sun less tendency 
to harden the cuticle. On an average, one should 
have about forty stems per square metre ^=33 per 
square yard) as a minimum, but we often find as many 
as fifty-eight huge and twenty small stems of white 
ramie and forty-five large and filteen small ones of 
green ramie per square metre. 
The diameter of the stems of the green ramie ia 
generally larger than that of the white. 
If cultivated under favourable coudilions, the annual 
fibre production per acre is superior in quantity and 
quality to the high-priced ahaca and sisal. This will 
give an important place to ramie in the textile indus- 
tries, if the preparation is economical.— Agricidlural 
Gazette of K(w f:outh Wales. 
GOVERNMENT HELP TO SELANGOR 
PLANTERS. 
THE BEE HAWK MOTH. 
SiR,~So many of your readers are now either 
directly or indirectly interested in the Malay 
Peninsula, that 1 make no apology for asking you to 
allow me to utilise your columas to record another ol 
