years before I got it to put it into its present condition. 
Your friend Mr. Edwin Cumming, manufacturer here, will be 
able to assure you that he and others in his way of business would 
gladly welcome the introduction of this fine fibre. As to the clean’ 
ing it from gum if you can devise a simple means of decorticating 
the stem on the lines that I suggested I can furnish the explana- 
tions that will enable it to be cleaned out in the Straits and sent 
here ready to spin or bleach snow white. 
Note. — -B lack Ramie appears to be the trade name for the brown 
ribbons simply stripped from the stem and dried. — C. C, 
Letter No. 2. 
1, Pollock Street, 
Calcutta , 2,5th February , 1902, 
Dear Sir, 
Under the auspices of Major PRAIN, Superintendent Royal 
Botanic Garden, Shibpur, I take the liberty of addressing you and 
shall be' much obliged if you can let me know if you are able to 
supply me with roots of Baehmeria mvea (China Grass) ; as you are 
doubtless aware experiments have been recently made on an 
extensive scale in the cultivation and decortication of this plant 
and His Honour the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal went up to 
Dalsing Serai where we have a large quantity of land under Rhea 
cultivation, in order to witness experiments with haure s Decorti- 
eating Machine. Both the Bengal and Imperial Governments are 
much interested in the extension of Rhea cultivation and it is 
likely that this new and important industry will soon be firmly 
established. The only difficulty so far is in obtaining roots. Major 
PrAIN has supplied %iU he could but there is demand for many 
more, and I shall he much obliged if you can help us either by 
supplying roots or telling me where I can most likely get them. 
The Decorticator that is being used in the experiment referred 
to in this letter is one of Faure’s which has been greatly improved 
sinefe it was first brought before the public. This machine weighs 
11 cwt. and costs about F. 1,800 landed in Calcutta. It turns out 
pure fibre to the extent of 3 % of the weight of the stems and pro- 
duces a minimum of 70 lbs. a day. Taking the value at 4 pence 
per lb. the value of one day’s output amounts to £1.3.4* The cost 
of cultivation, yield per acre, most suitable varieties, and many 
other points, might with advantage be workd out in one of the 
experimental Stations of the Federated Malay States where vvith 
its abundance of cheap land and heavy rainfall it should pay if it 
will pay anywhere. • 
C. CURTIS. 
FRUIT CULTIVATION 
The Cultivation of most kinds of fruits in this country is one which 
at present is more important as an additition to the luxury and 
comfort of colonial life than as a direct pecunia profirty. Excep- 
