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July li 1899.] S^ipplement to the "Tmpical Agrimltiirist." 
quality, and is valued £23 to £30 per ton in 
London. The cost of producing and exporting the 
jibre is estimated at E225 per ton, and if sold at 
£20 per ton, the profit would be 33^- per cent on 
the capital. Five years are required to produce 
the first crop of 3,000 lbs. of fibre per acre; 
thereafter 1,000 lbs. per acre yearly may be ob- 
tained. As the sisal plants increase in number in 
a rising ratio, it is calculated a very short time 
will be suiBcient to obtain commercial quantities. 
Its principal use heretofore has been in the manu- 
facture of ropes and carpets, but it is said that 
wider use for it have now been found. A sample 
of this fibre sent by Mr. Woodrow was tested by 
an expeVt, His report shows the sample to have 
plenty of tensile strength, but when put to a 
breaking strain, breaks " short," which is consistent 
with the general appearance and harshness of the 
fibre. If some means could be adopted to put the 
fibre through a process which would soften it, and 
at the same time not diminish its virtue, it would 
stand even a greater tensile strain, and also give 
a break more after the style of true hemp. He 
tested two specially made strands, and says the 
smaller one, which is below the Admiralty standard 
in size, stood the Admiralty test of 112 lbs., and 
broke at 120 lbs. This is very satisfactory e.xcept 
for the shortness of the break mentioned above. 
The second sample strand, which was made up to 
the Admiralty requirements, stood the same test 
(112 lbs.) and broke at a deadweight of 140 lbs., 
showing that nothing has to be feared as regards 
tensile strain. The expert, whose report we quote, 
says he is of opinion that this fibre when softened 
and worked into the larger kind of hawsers would 
meet with success, providing, of course, that the 
price is equal to or below that of hemp or coir. 
But for the smaller kinds of rope, unless the 
"shortness" of the break can be obviated, the 
fibre would not stand so well, more especially 
when taking short turns, around bitts or bollards. 
Its success depends on the cost of production, and 
if rope made from this fibre can be put on the 
market at a less price than hemp or coir, the 
chances are that there will be a great demand for 
it, in spite of enormous quantities of wire rope of 
all descriptions which is used at the present time, 
PANICUM COLON UM. 
Mr. H. Jardine, manager of an Experimental 
Farm in Queensland, refers as follows to the above 
grass (indigenous to Ceylon) which is apparently 
unknown to stock owners :— 
We often import at great expense and trouble 
foreign grasses and plants. This is .right enough 
in its way, But I am inclined to think that often 
better results would be obtained by cultivating 
and improving some of our indigenous gasses 
which for seons past have adapted themselves to 
our soils, climate, and circumstances. When 
visiting farms in this newly-settled district 
(Biggenden and the surrounding neighbourhood), 
1 was struck by the luxuriant appearance of a 
grass which was quite new to me. It is leafy and 
succulent, stooling well, growing very thick, and 
reaching 3 to 5 feet in height. It is mostly found 
on rich land, such as, for instance, old sheepyards 
' and camping places, and in one instance at least I 
71 
saw it healthy and thriving well at the bottom of 
a hill where there was a soakage, rendering life 
impossible for corn and other plants, which were 
there stunted, yellow, and dying out A local 
dairyman of great experience (Mr. Fowler) told me 
he considered the grass unsurpassed as a cow 
fodder. 
As nobody in tlie district could tell me either 
the vernacular or the botanic name of the plant, I 
sent a handful of it to the Government Botanist (Mr. 
Bailey) who writes thus about it: — -"The grass of 
which you forward a sample is Panicum colonum 
(Linn). It is indigenous in Queensland and most 
tropical and sub-tropical parts. In India it is 
considered one of the best for fodder, all kinds of 
stock being fond of it, and the abundant quantity 
of grains which it produces is considered to add 
greatly to its nutritive qualities." 
Mr. Bailey adds that it is not so widely spread 
as a close ally, the P. crus-galli, but is probably 
better, and would be more easy to manage in cul- 
tivation, requiring, however, a good and probably 
damp soil. 
From what I have seen so far of the grass, it 
seems to me to be a summer fodder, coming into 
seed in February and March. When depastured or 
mown down, it grows again very rapidly. I 
think it would stand a great amount of moisture 
being thus well adapted for dairymen to grow on 
the coast during the wet season. 
At Mr. Bailey's request, I am now gathering 
some seeds of it for distribution to those desirous 
of giving it a trial on a small scale. One should 
be careful, though, to keep it well under control. 
Like r11 good fodder grasses, it is likely to 
become a nuisance amongst other crops. It does 
not extend by means of rhizome roots, like couch 
or Johnson grass; but its tiny seeds are very 
numerous and shed easily, so that it becomes 
diflScult to eradicate it once it has got established. 
AN INTERESTING LETTER ABOUT RIIEA. 
(To the Editor "■Indian Agriculturist") 
Sir, — As you gave us a notice of our ramie ex- 
perimental installation at Staines, you will perhaps 
not be indisposed to give your readers the news of 
our experiments having proved most successful. 
When we started, we were confronted with the 
following diificulties : — 1st, supply; 2nd, decorti- 
cation ; 3rd, preparation ; 4th, spinning; and 
lastly, demand or market. I will deal with these 
seriatim later. Ungumming, which had hitherto 
proved such a fruitful source of diflaculty, had 
long been overcome by us ; the gum question 
presented no terrors nor difficulties ; by our method 
ungumming is simple and the durability of the 
fibre is unsurpassed, as is proved by the yarns 
which hare been in use now three years. They 
are as strong now as when first prepared. 1 refer 
to those made at Staines, I have products pre- 
pared by our process which have been in use tea 
years and are as good now as ever. I will deal 
with the obstacles as they appeared at the iuitia» 
tion of our works at Staines. 
Supply — There is a vast supply in China, where 
the natives have cultivated it and all the best 
textiles are made from it. The wealthy Chinese 
