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PROCEEDINGS OP THE SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION, 
Tuesday , 10 th October 1871. 
Robert Guppy Esq., M.A. in the Chair. 
Robert William Span Mitchell Esq. was elected a member. 
His Excellency Eawson William Rawson, Esq. C.B. was 
elected an honorary member. 
Monday 13 th November 1871. 
The Association met at La Falaise, San Fernando. 
Eobert Guppy Esq. M.A., in the Chair. 
The following papers were read 
1. Remarks on the Cultivation of the Ramie Fibre 
Plant in Trinidad. 
Ey Henry Prestoe, Government Botanist. 
In fulfilment of a promise made at a former meeting of 
this Association to furnish some information upon the 
Ramie fibre Plant ( Boehmeria nivea , Gaud.) and its culti- 
vation, by way of reply to a circular of the United States 
Ramie Planting and Mining Company, which has been 
forwarded to this Association by its corresponding member 
in Hew York, the following remarks are submitted. 
It is desired to ascertain whether the circumstances of 
the country, as one of the West Indian Islands, are favor- 
able to the project of introducing among them the cultiva- 
tion of the Boehmeria nivea with a view to produce its now 
well-known and valuable fibre on a large scale : now that, 
as is represented, the long- existing desideratum of a ma- 
chine that will clean the fibre in a manner suitable for the 
European market, has been met. 
It is not intended to consider here every point raised in 
the circular bearing, and of course favorably, on the cul- 
tivation of the Ramie ; but with regard to such points as 
