3"AN. 1, 1904.1 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
RAMIE FIBRE FOR CEYLON.-I. 
Hanipstead, N.W., Nov, 21. 
Dear Sir, —Your colony will do well to 
start Ramie as an industry. I am collecting 
information for three Government Depart- 
ments and I am convinced Ramie will come 
to the front very shortly. I am in a posi- 
tion to place 100 tons per week if quality and 
price are satisfactory; and if regular supplies 
can be relied on there are many other firms 
anxious to open up in Ramie. In spite of 
the cold water thrown on it by some Gov- 
ernment officials from practical experience 
I urge you to recommend your planters to 
grow Ramie. Floreat Ramie is the motto of 
—Yours faithfully, 
EDWARDSRADOLYFFE. 
II. 
Dec. 14th. 
Dear SiE, — Concerning Ramie fibre, what 
people want to know is how to prepare and 
sell the product. I know many who have 
grown this plant. Any one can grow it, for 
it grows with the rank, gross greed of ground 
typical of all its tribe. I have produced it 
luxuriantly both in tropical Australia and 
Central Mexico, and, like everyone else I have 
known who did so, I had to root it out and 
turn it. INSULA. 
Ill, 
West Hanipstead, N.W., Dec. 18. 
Dear Sir, — As former correspondence from the 
Colonial Secretary was published in your columns, 
September 10 and October 27, I now enclose a 
reply I have sent to the Colonial Secretary, as I 
presume his letter to me will be published as 
before. My object is to help Ceylon and point out 
to the Colony the business they are missing. Such 
pessimislic reports as Director J C Willis writes 
have all along stood in the way of Ramie. Why 
should difficulties exist in Ceylon that are not 
experienced in China and Japan ? If planters 
expect to be guaranteed from loss or stipulate 
conditions which don't exist in any other industry, 
then Ramie will not find a place in the agricul- 
tural economy of your Colony. If you would like 
proof of the possibilities of the Ramie trade and 
its uses in Europe, if you will instruct your 
London representative, I shall be glad to satisfy 
the enquiry, and I have no doubt his report will 
be satisfactory to the encouragement of estab- 
lishing the Ramie Industry in Ceylon. I still 
maintain it is a crop worth Ceylon's attention — 
Flweat Bamie. —YomB faithfully, 
D. EDWARDS RADCLYFFE. 
{Copy. ) 
The Hon, The Colonial Secretary, Ceylon. 
Dec. 12. 
Sir,— In reply to yours of Nov, 21, enclosing 
letter of Director John C Willis, I am sorry the 
merits of Ramie are so grudgingly given. I notice 
Director Willis recedes from some of his conten- 
ions, but he still adheres to the fallacy mercerised 
cotton takes the place of Ramie lustre, a com- 
parison about as appropriate as "lemonade is equal 
to champagne." Mercerised cotton is almost 
useless ; its gloss is of the most fleeting character ; 
it is lost {ilmQst first time of wearing, certainly 
gone first shower or first wash. Ramie improves 
by washing. The quality of cheapness is no com- 
pensation for nastiness. The Ceylon planter, he 
says, is "concerned with textiles of the present," if 
so he had better devote his attention to Ramie unless 
he wishes to be left. As to Rhea being exhaustive 
is not the experience of others. His allusions to 
rotation, I do not understand. Ramie lasts forj 16 
to 18 years, If it requires manure why not 
give it as to other crops ? It always pays. I doubt 
it your farmers have a crop that will pay as 
handsomely. The Chinese are making it pay, 
I have bought at £18 and only lately at £40, and 
I am intormed the Chinese planters make large 
profits at the lower figure. My quotation is not 
for filasse, but ribbons. Filas-se would fetch £50 a 
ton — the cost of filassing on the place of production 
would be trifling, I should say a properly organised 
degumming station would turn it out, including 
cost of growing, at £10 per ton. As to " the pro- 
cess of cleaning being a stumbling block," 
this shows me it has not been properly 
understood. If the Chinese can do. it, surely, 
the Sinhalese are as capable. If your plan- 
ters will only undertake it properly, there are 
methods and machinery waiting employment that 
will snrmouni all difficulties if, which I doubt, any 
need exist. As to the nonsense of planters being 
guaranteed from loss and expecting to have con- 
tracts till they can subnut samples, such impos- 
sible conditions have too long stood in the way 
of Ramie. Evidently the planter is so afraid of 
losing, he misses the opportunity of making. 
" Nothing venture nothing have" applies in full 
force. I know nothing about the areas waiting 
cultivation, but I do know none of the crops men- 
tioned by Director Willis will pay so well as 
Ramie. As to my coming to Ceylon and planting 
&c.. Director Willis cannot be in earnest. If all 
Colonies talked in this way, I should want to 
possess the earth to comply with such conditions. 
I will, however, make your Government this offer, 
I will teach you how to filasse without remunera- 
tion except a share of profits. As to the proof of 
demand, I have been preparing statistics for the 
Government here. There are firms here willing to 
take from 2 to 70 tons per week— to say nothing 
of the demand in Sweden, Switzerland, France 
and Germany. If there are any capitalists in 
Ceylon with enterprise enough to take up Ramie, 
if they will communicate with me I would soon 
satisfy them that demand exists. My opinion is 
that Government would do well to make the en- 
quiry and further to encourage the industry; where- 
as by circulating such pessimistic reports, they 
retard the Ramie industry and throw it into the 
hands of Germans and French who are fully alive 
to the potentialities of Ramie and are making 
profit whilst we sleep. For further proof, see what 
Japs and Chinese are doing. Per same post I send 
you printed matter which might do good to your 
Colony if published. My object is to help our 
Empire generally. — Yours faithfully, 
D. EDWARDS RADCLYFFE. 
CROTALARIA. 
Dec. 21. 
Sir,— A correspondent suggests that I should fur- 
nish botanical and vernacular names of all the 
leguminous plants that ought to be cultivated on 
estates. The suggestion is made, I understand, iu 
