1 Jan., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 51 
ON FIBRES. 
Now that inquiry is being made into the value of Sisal hemp as a commercial 
agricultural product, it is well that as much information should be gained as 
possible on the subject. We, therefore, republish a most interesting and 
valuable article by J. Medley Wood, Botanic Gardens, Durban, which lately 
appeared in the Natal Harmer’s Magazine, and which gives an account of other 
useful hemp-producing plants as well as of the Agave sisalana:— 
Judging from the inquiries now being made about fibre-yielding plants, it 
would appear that at.last there is some chance of this industry being 
commenced in the colony, the chief reason being the invention of a machine 
or chemical process, or both, which has proved successful in extracting the 
fibre from the China grass (Boehmeria nivea). I know nothing of this 
process but what I have seen in the Natal papers, and my object at present is 
merely to give a little information about those plants which seem to be most 
likely to succeed as fibre-producing plants in our colony. Numbers of 
indigenous plants have been proposed and experimented on for this purpose, 
and in time to come it may be that some of them will be found worthy of 
attention. I shall, however, confine my remarks to the following six:—Rhea 
or China grass (Boehmeria nivea) ; in-Sangu, or native hemp (Cannabis sativa) 
um-bogozembe (Urera tenax), Gompho carpus, Physo carpus—all of which yield 
the fibre from their inner bark; Mauritius Hemp (Furerea gigantea) ; and Sisal 
Hemp (Agave rigzda, var. sisalana), in which the fibre is found on the leaves. 
Ruz, Ramis, on Curva Grass.—This is a shrubby plant, native of tropical 
Asia, and has been cultivated for its fibre for a great length of time, but up to 
quite lately no machine or process has been devised for extracting the fibre at 
a sufficiently low cost. The difficulty appears to be the presence of a gummy 
substance which prevents the fibres being separated, except at a ruinous cost 
in labour, or at a serious loss and damage to the product when machinery or 
chemicals have been used. This difficulty appears now, however, to have been 
overcome, if recent statements are to be believed. The plantis a small shrub 
- growing about 3 or 4 feet high, and throwing out numerous suckers, about as 
thick as a finger, and from these the fibre is obtained. It is said that three 
crops may be obtained annually in a favourable soil and climate, and that the fibre 
differs in value and fineness according to the age of the stem from which it is 
taken, the young and quickly grown stems yielding the finest and most 
valuable fibre. As to the cultivation of the plant, the Kew Bulletin for 1888 
says:—‘‘ The plants are exceedingly easy of cultivation and thrive in all soils, 
but preference should be given to those of a light loamy character. J¢ is 
essential that the climate be moist and stimulating in order to produce 
abundant and frequent crops of stems. The plant may be raised from seeds, 
but the more ready method is by root or stem cuttings. The roots being 
perennial, the stools become stronger and more vigorous every year, and from 
these fresh sets are easily obtained for extending the cultivation.” 
In looking over the above extractit appears to me that the words italicised 
require careful attention, especially considering the climate of which the plant 
is a native. At the conclusion of an article on trials of machines for 
preparing this fibre, which appeared in the Kew Bulletin in 1889, Mr. D. 
Morris, assistant director of Kew Gardens, says:—‘ Important elements in such 
production would be to plant ramie only in places where the soil and climate 
will allow of three or four crops to be reaped per annum; where labour is 
yery cheap and abundant, and where good facilities exist for transport and 
shipment.’ Baron Mueller says of 1¢:—“Ordinarily three crops can be 
obtained, four in California, and that in Assam, even four to six crops are cut 
annually, that obtained in the cool season providing the strongest fibre; the 
latter attains sometimes the length of 6 feet. The produce of an acre has been 
estimated at 2 tons of fibre, which is always obtained from the young shoots.” 
He also says that the ordinary market value of the fibre is about £40 per ton. 
I fear, however, that both these estimates are excessive. : 
