850 
tHE TROPICAL AQRIOULtURlil. [May 2, 1892. 
coffee as a retarder of stomach digestion would 
probably more felt than it ia were it not so con- 
stantly the practice to take it only in small quan- 
tities after a very large meal ; it is then mixed 
with an immense bulk of food, and its relative per- 
centage proportion of food insignificant. To the 
strong and vigorous the slightly retarding influence 
on digestion may be, as Sir W. Roberts suggests, 
not altogether a disadvantage, but after a spare 
meal, and in persons of feeble digestive power, the 
cup of black coffee would probably exercise a re- 
tarding effect on digestion, which might prove 
harmful. It is also worthy of remark that in the great 
coffee-drinking countries this beverage is made not 
nearly so strong as with us. At home, and in India 
also, I am afraid, good always means strong coffee, 
often very strong coffee ; but on the Continent they 
possess the faculty of making good coffee which is 
not necessarily very strong coffee, and which, there- 
fore, as a beverage, is less likely to do harm. The 
great difference between English and Continental 
coffee is that the former make their coffee from a 
mixture of chicory and coffee dust, and consequently 
have to use large quantities to obtain any flavour at 
all from the decoction. On the Continent they either 
roast it themselves or buy freshly roasted coifee and 
grind it at home. This we do out here also, n-h>/ 
don't we get good coffee ? Of the three drinks 
therefore, cocoa may be ranked first, as being least 
harmful to digestion. Taken with proper precautions, 
however, tea and coffee may be safely partaken of, 
in most cases with much benefit to the drinkers. 
—Jfadras Times. Cheighton. 
[A person's own instinot and experience are 
the best guides ; and both are in favour of tea with 
milk and sugar.— Ed. 1\ A,] 
THE OULTUEE OF EHAMIE. 
Many people know the value oi rhamie, its growth 
and preparation, but for the edifiaation of tho3o who 
do not, we will explain. Rhamia is a native of the 
Snndft Islands, but has long been introduced in Upper 
Burmah from China. This fibrous plant was origin- 
ally confounded with Ohina grass ; however, it is now 
recognised that the two are essentially distinct, China 
grass being classified as Bochmeria nivea, whilst rhamie 
is furnished by the Boehmeria iitilis. Both plants are 
of the nettle order and of conssiderable size, especi- 
ally when they are improved by culture \ but their 
leaves differ in colour, the former haviug a silver- 
white top, whilst the latter has greyish-green leaves. 
The fibre obtained from each plant is very similar 
in many respects, but that ootained from rhamie ia 
far superior, being very soft and beautifully white, 
and does not break so easily when subjected to, 
tension. As regards cultivation, rhamie presents many 
advantages. It is a hardy plant, very vigorous and 
healthy and when once planted, it will continue to flourish 
about twenty years with regularity, provided it re- 
ceives A certain amount of constant care. It multi- 
plies easily and rapidly, and can be planted at small 
expense. Its cultivation is simple and its crops very 
abundant ; in dry climates three to four harvests a 
year can be reckoned on. With regard to its value 
rhamie certainly produces a better fibre than cotton 
or linen and one as ^losisy as silk. 
Different fibres being of difforedt thickness their 
relative value can best bo judged by reducing them 
to a common denomiuation. Taking rhamie as the 
unit, we reach the followiag results :— 
Twisting 
Thickness. Tensile. Strength. Elasticity. Strain. 
Khamie ..1 i •• 1 •• 1 
Flax .. -i .. J •• ri .. 4/.5 
Uomp .. I i •• i ■■ 19/26 
Cotton .. i •• A •■ J- ..4 
Silk ..i •• i •• 4 ..6 
It will be thus seen that rhaiuie fibre is longer and 
more uniform tbau all the others, except silk. It is 
more .-olid, bas more t<;nKil() strongth, more roHistaiice 
to tvnuting strain and iiii.re ol»nticity tbaii linen or 
^ump( 01 even cottuu, though the latlec oau be more 
readily twisted. Inferior only to silk. Under the pre- 
paration to nbich rhamie is submitted, it receives the 
appeirance of cotton wool or even silk thread. From 
its single or mixed fibres may be woven all kinds of 
stuffs from the fiuatt to the coarsest. Mixed with 
wool, or with wool and silk, rhamie can be msde into 
magnificent furnifihing materials. Imitiitions of satins, 
simmiage, and table lioen can olso be made from it. 
I may add thai all the imitation ailks worn by 
the Karens and Thans are the produce of this fibrous 
plant. Another nnheard-o' use of this valuable 
fibre is the manufacture of steam pipes, which we 
bear is a remarkable Yankee iuventioD, and of which 
we shall hear something more in ihis country before 
Ion?. 
The soil suitable for rbamie is a light ooe, such 
as chalk, sandy or alluvial ; spots which can be 
easily i rigated- As to climate, the warmer the 
better. Having regard to all these different condi- 
tions, it is without doubt that this plant can be 
cultivated with advantage in parts of India and 
Ceylon. 
Reproduction can be obtained by sowitg, but the 
method most commonly adopted is to plant pieces 
of roots or thick slips. The nurseries should be 
mad? in a light soil similar to beds of a kitchen 
garden. 
As earthing up ^has to be done later, it is well to 
reni'er it more eiay by preparing the grounds in 
furrows. The plants are placed a few inches anart 
till they are strong enough to be transplanted. 
Duriog the whale time oi preparatioo, the nursery 
soil must be well manured and kept free from 
noxious weeds. It being a strong plant which will 
occupy the soil for many years, plantations may be 
made. In that case the soil must be prepared to a 
depth of 2| to 3 feet, which can be done bj plough- 
ing, the best results being obtained by the most 
carefully prepared ground. 
When the plants grow to the height of 2i feet, the 
tops are then cut, but the fibre in this instance is 
very inferior ; second weeding is then necessary : 
then new spouts are allowed to spring up. When 
the lower parts of these shoots turn brown, a new 
cutting is proceeded with. This time the fibre is of 
good quality and the plantation well established. To 
preserve it, it is only necessary to weed between each 
cutting down. The ground should be well manured, 
as rhamie, like all other plants, is fruitful in propor- 
tion to the manure with which it is suppl ed. For 
this purpose horse or oow's dung is lonnd very 
suitable. 
The crop onoe gathered has to be prepared. It is an 
established fact that rhamie cannot be retted the fer- 
mentation set up by that process would destroy the 
qualities of the fibre. Separation by hand is a very 
long operation, a&d ciinuot be employed unless labour 
can be obtained very cheaply ; it is therefore mainly 
effected by machinery. Many have been tried but 
their detects, such as breaking or deflecting the fibre, 
have caused them to be abandoned. 
The fibre once obtained, it has to' be washed with 
gum and bleached ; then it is ready for combing, card- 
ing and other texile purposes. 
It has been estimated that a plantation of five acres 
will nourish 80,000 plants and the produce of three 
cuttings in one year will give 159,000 lb. of stems, 
which will yield 3,200 lb. of fibre, the market value 
of which is three annas per pound. 
Many people are experimenting with various pro- 
cesses was for extracting the fibre cheaply and quickly. 
Up to the present no results are quite satisfactory. 
However, it would be well for capitalists and manu- 
facturers in India to try experiments in this direction, 
as it is one of the most important industrial problems 
of the day. — Indian Textile Journal. 
NOTES ON PRODUCE AND FINANCE. 
The Indian Tea Districts' Association and New 
Markets.— At the meeting of the Indian Tea Dis- 
Lrictu' Associatioo, held on Tuesday, the question of 
new markets was discussed and the necessity for active 
