13 
“ It yields a fine fibre suitable for matting and cordage, and a 
good quality of paper could doubtless be made from it. The 
museum specimen was obtained from the Victorian collection, 
Phil. Int. Exh., 1876, and was prepared by Mr. W. R. Guilfoyle. 
The fibre is quite dark, due probably to insufficient bleaching, 
but is strong and not very brittle ; and, although the filaments are 
stiff, they exhibit under the magnifying glass a very fibrous 
nature, some of them being fine and lustrous ; is inferior to 
Hibiscus fibre. It measures between 2 aud 5 feet in length.” 
{Useful Fibre Plants of the Worldly Professor C. R. Dodge.) 
XXXIII. — CoRDYLiNE AUSTRALIS (Hookcr, fil.) syu. C. 
Forster! (F. v. Mueller). “Forster’s Palm Lily.” Order 
Liliacem. New Zealand. 
This noble plant attains an ultimate height of 40 feet under 
favorable circumstances. Its leaves afford a large percentage of 
excellent fibre, of finer texture than that of C. Banksii, though 
supposed to be not quite so strong. It is prepared in a similar 
manner, but the weight of fibre to the acre would be very much 
greater on account of the more robust habit of the species. Under 
good cultivation the plants Avould begin to yield a profitable 
return alter the third year, which would go on increasing 
atinually for a considerable time. As the Cordylines produce 
seed in enormous quantities, and can be increased also by off- 
shoots stuck in the open ground, there is no limit to the numbers 
which may be propagated, so that a young plantation could be 
always coming on to take the place of the old when the latter 
became unprofitable. It must be remembered, too, that a great 
extent of land comparatively useless, on account of partial 
inundation, could, be profitably planted with Cordylines and 
kindred plants. 
Prepared by boiling for six hours, then scraping. 
XXXIV. — CoRDYLiNE AUSTRALIS var. Cookii (?). “Captain 
Cook’s Palm Lily.” Order Liliacece, New Zealand. 
The fibre from the leaves of this A^ariety is very strong, and 
easily prepared by boiling for six hours, and then scraping. 
XXXV. — CoRDYLiNE AUSTRALIS var. lineata (?). “Line- 
leaved Palm Lily.” Order Liliacece, New Zealand. 
This, like many other kinds, yields a very strong fibre, pre- 
pared readily by boiling for six hours, and the usual scrajting 
process. 
