86 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Aug. 1, 1899. 
BiBLIOaRAPHY. 
The following books and papers may be consnltea 
in the Library tit PoriideDiya ; the latter aud aumerftl 
indicate their place : — 
Af;r)cuitural Lerljier India ... ... F 3 
Bailey, L. H., The Principlea of fruit- 
growing, 1897 ... ... ." 4 
Bailey, L. H., The Pruning Book 1898 M 4 
Bonavia, Cultivated Oranges and 
Lemons of India a. id Ceylon, 1890 M 4 
Depatment of Agriculture, U. S. A., 
Bulletins &o. ... ... .•• 6 
Firminger, Manual of Gardening for 
India, 1874 M 4 
Haldane, li. C, Subtropical Cultiva- 
tions and Climates, 1886 ... P 6 
Lodeman, The Spraying of Plants, 1896 M 4 
Morris, D , Fruit as a factor in Colo- 
nialCommerce.Pamphl.Econ.IV., 1. F 4 
Mott, The fruits of all Countries, 1883 M 4 
Muller, F. von, Select Extratropioal 
Plants, 1878-95 F 6 
Nicholson, G., Dictionary of Garden- 
ing, 1885-90 M 3 
Penzig, O., Studi Botanici, S. Agrumi 
(Citrus), 1887 M 6 
Penzig, O., Atlas of Plates S. Agrumi 
(Citrus), 1887 F 1 
Watt, G., Dictionary of Economic 
Products of India. ... ... F 3 
Woodrow, G. M., Gardening for 
India^ 1891 ... M 4 
And Keports of Botanic Gardens 
(F 1 and M 1), Journals of Agricul- 
ture, &c. ; also unbound parpphlets. 
H. P. MACMILLAN, 
Curator, Royal Botanic Gardens. 
Peradeniya, May 26, 1899. 
-® 
ALOE FIBRE 
A NEW INDUSTRY FOR CEYLON. 
INTERVIEW WITH MR. ARTHUR 
SILBURN. 
[With Notes by an ExpjiRT.] 
Mr. Silburn is in Ceylon in connection with a 
Syndicate recently formed for working aloe fibre, 
which, it has been discovered, possesses the 
same valuable properties that Manila hemp 
has \ons, been credited with, with the additional 
advantage of being superior in several respects.« 
If it can be properly worked, concerning which 
Mr. Silburn is confident, visions open up of a 
new and profitable industry in which all can 
ioin, but more especially those who are al present 
thinking of abandoning the cultivation of tea on 
portions of their land. 
Mr. Silbnrn is the inventor and sole patentee 
of the decorticating machine which purposes to 
do the trick, that is, extract the fibre from the 
aloe leaf and convert it into a valuable market 
commodity. Our readers must have had their 
attention attracted to an advertisement appearing 
lately above the name of Mr. W. Jenkins, in- 
viting fuiijplies of the leaves of the large green 
pricldy aloe. Mr. Jenkins ia a member of the 
Syndicate wc liavc referred to, and is associated 
with other well-known gentlemen, whose general 
"cannyne.ss" is amply sufficient to justify confidence 
in the potentialities of the new concern, 
Mr. Silburn arrived in Ceylon from South Africa 
in August last fur the purpose of extending the 
patentee riylits of his decorticating machine, 
which lie has at last secured and which covers 
a period of protection of fourteen years. On leaving 
a Inferior toManila Hemp in si renr/th—toimer would 
always cpmnaaud a higher price,— E, 
Ceylon Mr. Silburn proceeded on a similar missioa 
to India and has taken out patent riohts in the 
fwljoioing continent. He has entrusted Messrs. 
Walker Sons & Co., with the manufacture of one of 
his machines, which he expects to have in readine.'-s 
sliortly. Mr. Stevenson has consented bo have 
the niachii-e set up at tiie Mattacooly Mills in 
order that experiments may be carried out, and 
if these prove satisfactory no time would be lost 
in establishing a manufactory to push on the 
work of the Syndicate on a more extensive scale. 
The machine has for years been in use in Natal, 
has carried off gold and silver medals at inter- 
national exhibitions held in Mauritius, New 
Zealand, and Durban.a Mr. Silbnrn, in fact, was 
awarded medals at both the 1895 and 1897 Ex- 
hibitions held in Durban. This gentleman informed 
our reporter that the chief preliminary trouble 
he anticipated was in getting sufficient of the raw 
material. Thee were various species of the aloe 
plant, but wliat the Syndicate wanted and had 
advertised for was for the leaves of Agave 
Fovrcroyce {sic) or green aloe, b not the American 
Gigantica (sic) c or blue aloe which was so fre- 
quently met with in the grounds of Government 
House and elsewhere. 
" Have you seen any of the kind you went in 
the Island ?"—" Oh ! yes. We have received ad- 
vices of quantities that are being sent down by 
planters. The plant is, in fact, indigenous to the 
Island. I have seen it growing wild about Kacdy 
round by the Buddhist Temple. It grows in any 
soil, principally rock. However poor land may 
be for other purposes, green prickly aloe will 
grow there. It spreads with rapidity of w*«ds, 
requires little or no attention, and no expenditure 
in the way of manuring. It is superior to ramie 
in one .sense and is to be preferred on account 
of its high commercial value, and we expect it 
to take the place of Manila hemp and to be 
largely in requisition for the manufacture of ropes.* 
Indeed, I iiave already large orders from India, 
if they could only be executed." 
"Where are you going to establish yourself 
in India?" — At Lucknow, where I have been 
able to secure a large grant of land, some 600 
acres in extent, which are being planted out now 
from saplings supplied both myself and from 
public gardens in India. It takes two years to 
come to maturity." 
" How do you purpose to plant it in Ceylon 
By seed?"— "By saplings / procured from the 
wild plants growing about the country. It will 
be a very large industry, employing a large 
number of people both in its cultivation and 
manufacture." 
" What number would you say ?"— " Oh 1 th»t 
depends upon the size of the mills and the busi- 
ness that would be created. In its manufacture 
alone a large number of natives would be required. 
In addition it would put work on the railway, 
especially on that portion of the line wher« 
the plants are thickest." 
a Have seen one silver medal for this machine only, 
and only Mr. Silburn's word for that— a Natal Meda.1, 
In ManritiuiS only the old "gratte" machine is used 
eosting about R250 similar I think to the " Raspador" 
of Tacatan. — E. 
iJ^Fonrcroya Gigantea {not agave.)— B. 
r. American agave Gigantica. — E, 
d I doubt entirely its being indigenous, any mora 
than lantana. — E, 
e Will not feear the same strain aa Manila Hemp 
but probably comes in a good second. — E. 
/ Sucklings.— E, 
