1 Supr., 1898. ] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 223 
“Tn the New Zealand hemp market, also, there has been a sharp rise, in 
sympathy with that in Manilla fibre. Since last month fibre prices have 
advanced about £4 per ton. <A few bales of fair to good quality have recently 
been offered and sold at £20 to £24, and common brown is quoted at £19 c.if. 
At the prices quoted the market is very firm, and a further advance may be 
looked for in case of prolonged hostilities.” 
Manilla hemp is produced by the plant dZusa textilis, Nees, and it would 
appear to be indigenous to the Philippine Islands only. It was first introduced 
into Australia by the late Baron von Mueller, who says of it: “It likes volcanic 
forest land. Much of the fibre is exported to America for paper. About 1 1b. 
of fibre is annually obtained from each plant.” 
The Queensland Agricultural Department introduced it in 1895 to 
Kamerunga State Nursery, where it has thriven fairly well. Fibre has been 
separated from time to time and exhibited at various agricultural shows. Speci- 
mens may be scen at the Agricultural Museum in Brisbane, and quantities 
of plants may be obtained at the Kamerunga State Nursery. 
It would seem from observations of the writer that it is an exceedingly 
hardy plant, and one not requiring much attention after the plantation has 
been formed. In some notes published in the Kew Bulletin for January and 
February of this year by Mr. W. B. Preyer, who is engaged in agricultural 
enterprise in British North Borneo, appears the following :—“ Musa textilis 
requires a more equable climate than Ifusa paradisaice, and does not thrive 
in any country where there is a distinct dry season. It also demands a good 
soil and a warm temperature. It does not die absolutely if exposed toa 
drought of two or three weeks, but if spells of dry weather occur at too 
frequent intervals its growth is stunted very materially; but, again, although 
it prefers rain every two or three weeks, it does not like a continuously wet 
season. ven in the Philippines its range is restricted. Itis chiefly found on 
the eastern side, and there it only thrives really well.” 
As some three different forms of the dfwsa family are indigenous to 
North Queensland, and the trials of Musa tevtilis at the Kamerunga State 
Nursery have been what may be termed favourable, it would be, perhaps, not 
unwise to encourage the growth of this fibre plant in the Northern part of this 
colony. 
The question of labour crops up here, as is the case with nearly all 
tropical products. However, as in the Philippines a very crude method of 
separating the fibre is in vogue, itis more than likely that some machinery 
could be invented to dispense with the manual labour employed there at 
present. As America seems to be a large consumer of Musa fextilis, shoald 
that country become possessed of the Philippines, a revolution doubtless 
would be made in the mode of separating the fibre. “ Simmonds” quotes. the 
following :—‘‘ Machines have been invented to remove the fibre from the pulp, 
but few are used. About three years ago one was exhibited, very simple in 
its construction, and apparently producing results far superior to the ordinary 
mode of manual labour. The exhibition of this machine produced a great 
excitement, and it was proposed and countenanced by the captain-general to 
give a large premium to the inventor. The subject died away, however, and 
the machine disappeared from public view. Jt is probable that the criticism 
of experienced people formed some drawbacks to the perfection generally 
ascribed to the invention; but, without the slightest mechanical knowledge, 
the impression which its structure and effect made on persons capable of 
judging, was extremely fayourable. There was no intricacy in its machinery: 
wood was its only material, and buffalo its moving power. A village carpenter 
could make one from its model, and its results were tenfold greater than by 
the ordinary course. It may suggest itself: Why has it then not become of 
general use? I cannot affirm that the model has not been applied; but there 
are circumstances, or influences, in regard to the natives here in the culture of 
this product, and indeed of all others, unfavourable to the extensive use or 
adoption of machinery.” 
