11 
filasse at a small cost. The whole question then still turns, as in 
1888, on the production of ribbons. We are still waitinp: for a 
decorticator which will not merely turn out ribbons fit for further 
manufacturing processes, that has been accomplished, but will 
turn out, say, haif-a-ton a day at a small cost. Till this has been 
found, the planter cannot profitably deal with his crop, and the 
degumming processes, now almost entirely dependent on hand- 
clean fibre from China, are paralyzed for want of a supply Avhich 
will allow the finished product to compete Avifh other fibres. 
“ The ribbons must be susceptible of being delh^ered to the 
degumming factories at a cost not exceeding £7 to £9 per ton. 
This would pay the planter if he had a decorticator Ayhich would 
leave a profit. At present he cannot produce ribbons under £12 
to £15 a ton. 
Then the degumming processes should turn out filasse at a 
total cost of £36 to £40 per ton. At this price the demand 
would be considerable, and a large and prosperous industry would 
result. To put the position in other words, filasse must be put 
upon the market at about 4d. per lb. To use the words of one of 
the speakers in the discussion at the Society of Arts, ‘ Unless it 
could be brought down to something like the y)rice of cotton or 
flax, it was impossible to make any profit out of it.^ ’’ Tlie Produce 
World says : — 
“ The time for planters in India and the East, generally, to 
seriously take in hand the production of ‘ Rhea ’ fibre has now fully 
arrived, and we hope, in the very near future, to receive more 
numerous inquiries from our readers as to the best means of dispos- 
ing of prepared filasse. For some time several factories in England 
and America have been engaged exclusively in manufacturing all 
kinds of textile fabrics from the fibre, and there are unmistakable 
signs that a fine future awaits the new industry. In addition to 
a profit obtainable from the preparation of tlie fibre, however, 
there are several other good points about ^ Ramie ^ cultivation. 
Besides being perennial, the plant requires absolutely no cultiva- 
tion beyond thinning out, and the thinned-out plants may be at 
once replanted in new ground. The original root survives for 
30 to 40 years ; the leaves are greedily eaten by cattle, and are 
highly nutritious ; and the best means of propagation are from 
root cuttings. Planters need lay out but little capital on this 
product, as the stalks are marketable without degumming, or 
additional profits may be realized by doing the degumming and 
fibre extraction on the estate. Thus, on the lowest computation, 
a return of £18 per acre is certain, with the expenditui'e of the 
minimum of labour and capital. 
“ If actual results are required, here they are. Upon an estate 
in Mexico the out-turn of cleaned fibre, in 1896, was 1,936 tons, 
