365 
cess of their own and that the first essential of the deal is that we 
purchase one or more of their machines and then no satisfactory 
guarantee is offered that large purchases will be made in the future. 
The position mtist have altered remarkably during the last three 
years, if small farmers can make money by shipping small parcels 
of the fibre to Europe. I was assured by leading brokers three 
years ago, that the only ramie then being sold in Europe was the 
hand product of China and the producers did not and could not 
afford to pay any wages, with their primitive methods of produc- 
tion. 
8. Freight. — Under conference rates, this would be a heavy 
item particularly for the small grower who could not afford an 
hydraulic press. 
The Ocean Steamship Co. were good enough to allow us special 
rates for experimental shipments. At current rates our hand- 
pressed hales would have cost at least £7 per ton weight to 
deliver in Europe. 
9. Experiments. — l cannot recommend to Government to incur 
any expense in further agricultural experiments or urge private 
individuals to do so. 
After two years hard work, and the expenditure of a consider- 
able amount of capital, we have nothing to shew but agricultural 
results. These have hitherto been reserved for the information of 
our shareholders, but I now give the figures for the information of 
the Government and my fellow planters. All other figures I have 
seen quoted, appear to have been based upon garden-plot experi- 
ments. 
It is true that we have never worked a decortieator steadily for a 
year, but these results are based on the produce of several acres 
treated in different seasons, careful records having been kept. 
10. Results. — An acre of ramie will yield 20 tons of green 
stems without leaves. 
Twenty tons of green stems yield 25 cwt. of dry ribbons i.e., 
the fibre with all the epidermis and gum attached. 
Twenty-five cwt. of dry ribbons yield 10 cwt. of filasse. 
Ten cwt. of filasse at four pence a pound is worth £18 13s. 4 d. 
11. Expenditure — Our average expenditure on cutting, strip- 
ping, decorticating, drying and baling amounted to about £\o 
for 25 cwt. of ribbons. We worked only one decortieator, whereas 
the engine might have worked several for the same amount of fuel. 
Drying and baling would be unnecessary, with a degummer close 
at hand and I think the cost of production might be reduced. 
But at ^10 as the cost of treating the produce of an acre, 
there would be a balance of £8 13s. 4 d. out of which field upkeep 
and supervision would have to be paid. 
12. Proposed Decortication — If degummers were erected locally 
there would be no necessity for any epidermis-cleaning system of 
decortication, Our produce would be treated green, before the gum 
