L 
INTERNATIONAL FIBRE SYNDICATE LT? 
(REGISTERED OFFICE:~1S f DAWSON STREET, DUBLIN.) 
“DEARWORTH, LONDON.* 
A B C,A 1 & PREMIER CODES. 
28, VI CTOR ! A STREET, 
WESTMINSTER 
S.W. 
Dr Ridley 
December 12thib899, 
Botanical Gardens* 
Singapore. 
Dear Sir, 
Our representative, Mr W H South, had the pleasure of discuss- 
ing the question of ramie with you some little time back, and I 
shall be glad if you can give me any information as to the following 
points:- We find in Dominica where we cultivated some roots sent us 
by Monsieur Riviere from Algiers that these stems only attained the 
heighth of from 3} to 3*4*, when they at once began to seed* Nov/ 
these same stems in Algeria grow to 1 metre, 65 centimetres, or an 
average of 5’6% A root or two taken from the same consignment 
and grown in a hot-house here has grown to the heighth of about 5*. 
Can you give us any explanation of this peculiarity? Naturally the 
steins being so short there is a very small yield of fibre, but the 
same is very fine as you will see from the enclosed piece will ch has 
not been properly combed owing to the fact that we did not have suf¬ 
ficient, The fibre enclosed, istfar superior and finer to China Grass 
* r Of coifrse this sample is only to show you the quality of the fibre, 
as until we have a goodish quantity we cannot put it through the 
combs necessary. I 3hall be obliged if you can let me know about the 
above probl em. 
