i88 5 .] 
India and Other Parts. 
67 
realises £80 per ton in England, but when the price lowers 
to £35 per ton then the Chinese entirely cease to export it ; 
but for cloth we cannot afford to pay more than £25 per ton, 
and thus this beautiful fibre is prohibited to us from its price. 
The Government of India has offered a high reward for the 
best machine to prepare it, but inventors have misdirected 
their powers by using in the first instance chemical sub- 
stances, or on machinery to be used after it is prepared, 
whereas the whole secret lies in treating the plant while still 
green and within six hours after it has been cut, and whilst 
adhesive compounds remain soluble ; and it is clear that 
excessive handling must be avoided, as Chinese labour is the 
cheapest in the world combined with intelligence. And thus, 
as the substances to be got rid of are merely gum and tannin 
matter, and both as they exist in China grass are soluble in 
water, I find that by soaking the grass, when freshly cut, for 
eight hours in pure water (running stream is preferable), by 
placing the “ grass ” in a wooden box or crate with bars or 
spokes on all sides, and with a movable lid or cover made 
to rise and fall by means of a lever or lift, and thus wash 
out by pressure and motion the soluble substances, giving 
equal effeCt and pressure on all the plants whilst in the 
water ; and the bottom of the crate can be made to rise 
and fall also, modifying it in shape and aCtion to procure 
the effeCt needed. This method does not hurt the fibre in 
general if the bars be so adjusted as not to press on each 
other, and would effeCt the objeCt desired at lowest possible 
cost, and I have sufficiently tested the plan myself to 
ascertain its effects. When the whole of the gum is got 
rid of, then the rest of the operation is easy, by drying the 
treated plant at once in the sun, and then separating by 
scutching machinery, producing in fibre only about 5 per 
cent of its original weight, the shortest fibre being service- 
able for rough cloths, and the longer for superior require- 
ments. 
The above ideas are applicable to most fibre plants, and 
exhibit the necessity of treating them as fresh and green as 
possible. 
130, Fenchurch Streeet, Londo. -1 , E.C., 
December 16, 1884. 
