172 
TtlE TROPICAL AGRICULTUKIST. 
[Sept. 1, 1898. 
RAMIE FIBRE: 
IMPORTANT RltOGRESS. 
The company of which Mr. Blantschli is mana- 
ging diioctor has its chief office in Zurich, and its 
plantatione in Sumatra. It couimeuced a careful series 
of experiments iu 1894 in relation to ramie growing 
in Sumatra. These experiments were carried on sys- 
tematically, according to intelligent methods, and had 
for their object to ascertion clearly : — (..) The beat 
kinds of soil suitable for the growth of ramie ; (h) The 
questions of irrigation, shade, manuring, etc. ; (c) 
The number of roots that can bs planted practically per 
acre — the number of effective cuttings obtainable per 
year — the average number of available stoma per root 
percutting— the average weight per 100 sterna available 
for decortication — and the percentage of dry fibre ob- 
tainable ; ((?) The best method of decorlicating the 
Btems or extracting therefrom the fibre and the most ad- 
vantageous condition in which to send the fibre to market. 
Simultaneously extensive inquiiies were made in Europe 
concerning the pro.'^pects of trade in the fibre, both as 
regards the quantity saleable and the price obtainable. 
During the experiments various methods of mechanical 
and hand decortication were tried, inc'uding the import- 
ation of Chinese labourers. 
The company purchased through Mr. Bluntschli, a 
Faure decorticating machine, and having thoroughly 
tried it on their plantation, they were couvinccd 
that it satisfied their requirements and had solved the 
question of successful decortication. All these experi- 
menta and eaquiries were considered terminated early 
in 181)7, and the valuable data thus obtained, which 
indicated that a large profit could be realised by 
growing ramie on an extensive scale under favour- 
able conditions, led to the decision to proceed ener- 
getically with the extensive production of fibre. Am- 
ple capital has been subscribed by leading manufac- 
turers in Germany and Switzerland, and all the cir- 
cumstances seem very favourable to a succeaaful 
issue of the undertaking. 
The company possesses upwards of 12,000 acres of 
laud suitable for the growth of ramie. Five hundred 
acres are now under cultivation, an additional five 
hundred will be planted between now and next year, 
and further acrejge will be planted as required. 
The figures relating to: the outlay of capital required 
for all purposes ; the cost of planting ; the cost of 
editing, decorticating and bailing the fibre; bringing 
it to market ; the general working expenses, hive 
been very carefully worked out on the basis of actual 
expeiience, and show that clean, dry fibre, free from 
wood and skin, and freed from a large percentage of its 
natural gum, if sold at£'.iO a ton c.i.f. European port, 
Will leave a profit sufficient to pay large dividends on 
the capital employed. 
The question of the sale of the fibre is also in a 
favourable position. The two largest spinners tf 
ramie on the Continent have entered into contracts 
With the new company to buy yearly 000 tons of 
the ramie fibre grown on their plantation in Sumatra 
and decorticated by the Fa'^re machines, at a 
price very favourable to the buyers and very profit- 
able to the growers. There will be no difficulty in 
Belling the balance of the production to European and 
American spinners, because the fibre can be produced as 
cheaply as flax, and it is very much superior in every 
respect, viz., length, strength, ductility, lustre, etc. — 
Biitish Trada Journal, May 1st, 1898. 
THE TEA INDUSTRY. 
" That 1897 was a bad year for the tea planters of 
India and Ceylon is a fact only too well-known by every- 
one interested in the industry. The same tale, with 
little variation and very few exceptions, has been told 
by the chairmen of the various corapiuiiea which have 
lately held their annual meetings. The chief causes 
for the set-back are the rise in the exchange, the high 
price of rice— the chief food of the coolie— and a short- 
age in the crops. The earthquake which occurred 
about this time last year also caused considerable loss 
to many companies, both in revenue and capital, wlaile 
a B otbei' estates there was &n unusual amount of sick- 
ness. These weighty factors, sufficient in tbeiusetvei 
to severely depress the industry, were ULfortanately 
supplemented here, at home, by an all-round lower 
price for tea. The better to illasirate the position of 
the industry, compared with that of the previous year, 
we give below the net nrofits, etc., for iBdtiand 1897, of 
the twelve largest luaiau and eight largest C'eyloa 
companies which have as yet publiBhed their accoauts. 
The figures compaie as follows : — 
a 
o 
SI »M CO X o X c^i o I- 
5j O. c.^ cr. ^r.^ ^ i-- — i ■n '3 ''■ 
•-»-*:» ^ cs i« pf'.s"' X t*" c ..3* X 
r ^ lii li? cfl ►.'t o ift o c ^ '-'5 
2, o> c) « i~ ^ I- ~« 1- t>. 
-1 f-i 
-a 
o- 
5S t! .,2; 2! ^ 01 »^ " 1- 
^ ^ o -< d i£ ef. cr. 1^ 
•o io ir- i> h o i~ es 
SSg882gg = ss = 
•- CD ^ "t. O O c o o o -. 
O.C-. cc I.-: = .-' p-' - c -' ^' 
<« x CD m CI iM o I- m X 5 o c=. 
^ to 
o 
a 
S) 
56 C c3 
S 
o o8 a 
r' *-* (D ° . . 
^ br -r 
i~ ift C-. c: X » * t» 
X; « (M lO 
M o'ci e^" ot X V n aJ 
OO 5 
ft: .-^ 
^ 1^ -.r :0 e»: X er 
r. ci X C-. c — — 
XODXt-OSXSHO 
• • • 
C O X c c c o 
X 5 c 5 5 
_ a X c 1- 5 5 
s X ci o -T c' 
d 
a ° o. 
— (B ^ 
D B. 3 > 
B g d = 
l-ll-J 
It Will be seen that in every one of the above twentr 
companies the profit for 1897 was lesa than that for 
the previous year. The Empire of India and Ceylon 
• These capitals were increased daring 1897-8 bv 
the following amounts :-Doom.Dooma, ±7,500 : East 
l"?.mn"^r^^]' °°'T^^^j°°°=/°''^'' £^0,000 ; Alliance 
£15,000; Ceylon Land and Produce f i Vnn . VJ^a 
Sunnygama, £10,000, so that ^'''-^ • '^'^^ 
. t The 1897 profits were made on an aggreeate 
cap, als larger by £102,700 than that appearing^ ."^ 
the table, viz. Indian companies £2.330 550 • Cevlnn 
companies, £1,086,193. *-ooo,oou , ceylon 
: Loss of £5,340 on rice debited to reasrve, not 
to revenue. *va„i,B, uv» 
g Sold in Calcutta, 
