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materials with view to their employment in textile and other indus- 
tries. We shall hope to see other Companies, and Associations 
following this good lead for other products. 
Of cottons the best samples examined came from India, Rhodesia 
and British Guiana. Among the last fibres were several of interest, 
One was from the well known vegetable called here Lady’s fingers. 
(Hibiscus esculentus), cultivated as a vegetable everywhere. The 
fibre was taken from the stalks after the fruits had been collected and 
was valued at £14, £10 to £20 per ton with medium jute valued at 
£14 to £16 per ton. As the plant is otherwise useless after two or 
three crops have been taken off, perhaps the vegetable gardeners 
instead of putting it on the burning heap might find it worth while to 
take the fibre out. The weed known here as Perpulut, and in 
America as Cesar-weed ( Urena lobata) has an excellent fibre useful 
as a substitute for jute. Unfortunately it is apt to be too short, a 
tall variety would be very useful, as the plant is a very common 
village weed and grows anywhere. 
Another common weed produces a fibre which is even more 
valuable, that is Sida rhombifolia a common roadside mallow. This 
fibre is silky and considered suitable for mixing with silk and was 
valued at from £25 to £30 per ton, and its cultivation recommended. 
The Indian textile journal for November iqo8 discusses the possibility 
of its becoming a substitute for jute. The difficulties in its cultivation 
are said to be the hardness of the seed coat, which prevents rapid 
germination, and the tendency of the plant to branch. The former 
difficulty is obviated by soaking the seed in hot water, and it is 
reported that a straight growing variety has been found in Burmah. 
The fibre is actually more valuable that jute, its cellulose content 
and therefore its durability being higher. Its texture too is finer, 
and it could be used for special purposes for which jute is unsuitable. 
As the plant is a very common village weed it is possible that in the 
near future it may be placed on the market as a fibre plant. 
Manila hemp has been grown with very fair success in the 
Nilgiris and Trinidad, the sample from the latter colony valued at 
£30 ton. 
Sisal hemp of good quality was sent from the Sudan, British 
East Africa, the Andamans and Fiji. The samples of Sanseviera 
seem mostly to have been too short, and ipoorly prepared. It should 
be at least three feet long. New Zealand flax { Phormiunt tenax ) 
from St. Helena is an interesting new shipment. The samples 
were not equal to the best New Zealand product, but this is a matter 
which may be improved. Of the samples of Rubber sent for 
examination three only were Para rubber, and three from Zanzibar, 
the Nilgiris and the Seychelles, Those from the two latter places 
were good but too young, that from Zanzibar dirty and more resinous 
than usual. It is probable that the first two colonies will come into 
the market as rubber producers in time as the reports of cultivation 
there seem good. 
