221 
hardly conclusive as the experiments were made on so small an 
area. The machines for cleaning the fibre mentioned in the paper- 
above quoted are Death and Elwood and the Van Buren. The at- 
tention of planters may well be called to this plant. 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE 
OF THE 
UNITED KINGDOM, THE COLONIES AND INDIA. 
Imperial Institute Road, London, S. W. 
j jth May, igo j. 
Dear Sir, — Samples of Murva libre ( Sanseviera zeylanica ) grown 
in the Straits Settlements have been sent by the Selangor Rubber 
Company to the Board of Trade for an opinion on their commercial 
value. The matter was referred to the Imperial Institute to deal 
with, and the fibres have been chemically examined in the Labora- 
tories here, and also submitted for the opinion of brokers. 
As the matter may be of interest I send you a copy of the Report 
which has been furnished to the Selangor Rubber Company. I 
shall be glad of any information you can give me on the subject of 
this fibre, especially in relation to the possibility of planting it as a 
catch crop while the rubber trees are growing. The fibre seems 
to.be very satisfactory, and there would appear to be a good mar- 
ket for it in this country, if it could be grown and prepared at a 
comparatively small cost. 
I am, 
Yours sincerely, 
WYNDHAM R. DUNSTAN, 
Director . 
II. N. RIDLEY, Esq., 
Director , Botanic Gardens, Singapore , 
Straits Settlements. 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE. 
(SOUTH KENSINGTON, LONDON, S. W.) 
Report on samples of Murva Fibre ( Sanseviera zeylanica) from 
Selangor, Straits Settlements. 
By Professor Wyndham R. Dunstan, M.A , F.R.S, Director 
The enquiry relating to the value of samples of Murva fibre 
grown experimentally in the Straits Settlements by the Selangor 
Rubber Company was referred to the Imperial Institute by the 
Commercial Department of the Board of Trade. 
The sample which was first forwarded only weighed 2.6 grams 
and is stated to have been extracted from a single leaf. It had a 
white lustrous appearance and a staple of about 50 cm. (20 inches). 
