362 
Supplement to the “ Tropical Agriculturist: 
[Nov. 1, 1897. 
to Eamie cultivation in the Island. The ex- 
citement in connection with this much-discussed 
fibre — about which, perhaps, move lias been 
written than any other plant, ilbrous or 
otherwise — that was evinced some two years 
ago, waned as raiiidly as it waxed, and the 
chief reason assigned for this was the tech- 
nical difficulties that arose in the disposal of 
the produce. These difficulties, however, Mr, 
Macdonald brushes aside by hi.-^ recommendations 
that the material to be exported should take the 
form of filasse to be pirepared by means of a 
machine in which he is interested. The degum- 
med and treated fibre, we are informed, will readily 
command £42 in England, vvhile the cost of 
producing a ton (at l|-d. per lb.) should not exceed 
£14, that is to say there should be a profit of some 
£28 on every ton produced. Taking tons as 
what Mr. Macdonald considers a safe estimate per 
acre, this will represent a profit — when the estate is 
in full bearing, — that is from the second year — of 
£42 per acre. Deducting the royalty of 25% on 
the net working profits due to the patentees, there 
will be left a clear ijrofit of £-32 per acre on 
the enterprise. 
In comparing Mr. Macdonald’s estimates with 
those of other writers, we should bear in mind 
the method of planting which he recommends, 
namely, putting the cuttings 1’ « 1’ apart at first, 
or 43,560 to the acre, and afterwards taking 
away every other plant, so reducing the number 
permanently to 10,190 per acre. In a letter written 
just before leaving Ceylon, Mr. Macdonald 
says : “ Get 40 tons (that is of stems free from 
leaves) pier acre and Ramie begins to pay, but 
nothing under 30 tons will pay.” Taking £32 
as the profit per acre with a field of say 60 tons 
of sticks, the profit will be proportionately re- 
duced to £21 per acre with a yield of 40 tons, 
and to £16 with a yield of 30 tons. But Mr. 
Macdonald bases his original cultivation on 
large! acreages ; with smaller pilantations 
the cost of producing a lb. of prepared 
fibre may bo expected to be greater, so making 
the pirofits smaller ; and Mr. Macdonald gives 
R25 as a fair average profit per acre. Hitherto 
it has been customary to grow ramie 4 or 
5 feet apart. Row, if we compare the number 
of plants in an acre put 2’ w 2’ apart and the 
number pier acre put 4’ w 4’ we find that there 
are nearly 8,000 plants more per acre in the 
former case, go that the method of planting 
advocated by Mr. MaC'lonald upsets all pre- 
vious calcuiations as to the amount of pro- 
duce per acre and makes his .own estimates 
unique. It may be said that there is a 
certain limit to the productive power of an 
acre of land, and that the amount of pro- 
duce varies within certain limits which Mr. 
Macdonald’s estimates overstep on the higher 
.side. It may further be said that it is a 
bad system of agriculture which recom- 
mends close planling with the object of 
getting more [iroduce. This latter statement 
applies of course with great force to fruit-bearing 
cropis as we know so well in the case of the 
coconut palm. But the ramie is a stem-bearing 
crop, and we also know that when trees are planted 
close they tend to grow spindly, and in the 
case of a branching tree that the tendency to 
branching is in a degree supipressed, whereas 
with jilenty of light and air surrounding it 
the tree will grow more symmetrically, de- 
veloping proportionately in a lateral direction 
as it grows in height. But in the ramie shrub 
the tendency to send up straight and tall stems 
without any lateral branches is a decided ad- 
vantage, for the longer and straighter the stems 
and the fewer the side shoots the better the 
fibre. Indeed, in the cultivation of the pihint 
it is necessary to remove all lateral foliage 
buds in order to pireserve the continuity of 
the fibre in the stems. So that by growing 
the plants close together, beside the advantages 
of the weeds being kept down and the ground 
shaded — for ramie does not stand drought well 
— we as it were force the plant to produce long 
straight stems of the most acceptable form. 
This close planting of ramie has certainly thrown 
a new light on tlie method of cultivation which, 
as we have shown, most materially- affects the 
quality and quantity- of the fibre and also 
nullifies all pirevious calculations as to yield 
and profit. 
As regards the cutting of sticks, Mr. Mac- 
donald advises that this should go on almost 
continually-, so that the sticks fit for cutting will 
be gathered at the pjroper time. Periodical 
cuttings he deprecates on the same grounds 
that periodical pickings of tea leaf are 
t ) be deprecate!. There is no doubt th it con- 
tinual cuttings of ramie would result in the 
production of a more uniform qii ility- of fibre. 
Mr. Macdonald estimates that one man c;ui 
go over two acres in a day- cutting the mature 
stems. 
The chief jioint it seems to us in e.ubarking 
on a new planting industry- sucn as this is to dis- 
cover the most suitable localities for cultivation. 
Ramie wants a loam or clay- loam (not too heavy-) 
and the more atmospoheric moisture the better. 
Dry sandy- soils are objection ible, but on the 
other hand land inclined to be water-logged 
is to be avoided. 
The plan adopted by the patentees of re- 
covering the roy-alty on their machines is 
certainly novel and speaks well for their certain 
faith in the prospects of ramie cultivaiion ; for 
when they demand a piercentage on the net 
profits of cultivation they- at once idenfify them- 
selves with the success or failure of the industry-. 
If ramie cultivation succeeds, the paitentees secure 
their royalty- ; if it fails they lo-e it. That is 
certainly a very fair bargain. 
On the whole we confess to be favoui-ably 
irapjressed with the pirospiects of ramie, and we feel 
justified in advising local growers — ptarticnlirly- 
those already engaged in cultivation and wi: h spare 
land available — to give it a fair trial on a mo- 
derate scale, and according to the methods of 
culture advocated by- Mr. Macdonald. If there 
is no central degumming factory- now. we fancy 
it must come before very long, and Chose who 
have their reserves of ram;e will then be able 
to launch into extensive cultivation afteiy 
of. course, having satisfied them.selves by a 
tentative measure that they were jusiified in 
so doing. With them it will be “first come 
fir.-t served” by the factory, and to the £42 
per ton which is so temptingly offered. 
