1 Joye, 1900.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 4.61 
words that have been and still are on the lips of everyone, and the word 
“khaki”? is the subject of the hour. Khaki is of great concern to every wool- 
grower and those dealing in wool fabrics. Knowing this tempts me to say 
something about khaki. 
The origin of the word is somewhat obscure, but it is thought to be derived 
from the name of a plant known as khaki, grown in the Hast Indies. I am 
unable to verify this origin, and therefore, for the time being, must accept the 
tradition without comment. The so-called khaki plant is said to have some of 
the characteristics of flax, producing a fabric of a brownish colour. As the 
supply of this material has been inadequate to meet the wants of the British 
army, a material in imitation of it has been made from cotton, and the name 
of khaki applied to it, the colour being obtained from dyes of a peculiar 
brownish or tan tint. Soon after the beginning of the American war 
with Spain experimental lots of this cloth were made up into garments 
for their soldiers in the West Indies, some of it of English and some of domestic 
manufacture. Without proper clothes aman cannot fight to the best advantage, 
a fact which the military authorities have borne carefully in mind as regards the 
soldiers intended for service in South Africa. The tight-fitting, costly uniforms 
in which Mr. Thomas Atkins appeals so strongly to the feminine portion of our 
population are the outcome of much artistic effort on the part of military tailors, 
and are admirably adapted to the piping times of peace, but when the day 
arrives for service in South Africa, or in any other part of the world where 
excessive heat is likely to enfeeble the men, the gay trappings must be laid aside 
in favour of more suitable material. That is the reason why our soldiers during 
the present campaign will wear the dark fawn-coloured “ drill” familiar to most 
people as khaki. Another version of the fabric is that the word is derived from 
the Hindoo, and means simply dust or clay-coloured; but in the War Office 
sense khaki is elevated from the position of adjective to substantive, and refers 
exclusively to that drab-coloured material which was worn for the first 
time, probably, by some of the East Indian regiments. Throughout the 
Egyptian campaign it was used by our et ; and when the Guards 
arrived in London after the last expedition they were clad in the very 
garments which have already been served out to them. again for 
service in South Africa. As they detrained at Waterloo last autumn, and 
marched through the cheering multitude to Wellington Barracks, it must be 
admitted that the mud-coloured tunics and breeches failed to appeal to the eyes 
of the people who had associated the brave fellows with that thin red line” of 
glorious memory; but the outfit certainly possesses many advantages from the 
point of view of practical work. The soldiers themselves are anxious to 
exchange their present uniforms for the campaign outfit, owing to the increased 
comfort they will enjoy. Though strong and unshrinkable, the material is 
much more flexible than the customary cloth, and enables the man to use his 
weapons to greater advantage. Any soldier will tell you that the manual and 
firing exercises can be performed with much greater ease when khaki has been 
substituted for the tight-fitting and padded regulation tunic. In South Africa, 
as in the Soudan, there will be times when all officers and men must sleep in 
their clothes, boots, and accoutrements, and in these conditions a khaki suit is 
ag superior to the average uniform as pyjamas to the frock coat and tweed 
trousers of the civilian. 
The word “khaki” then simply represents a certain kind of wool cloth, the 
principal peculiarity of which is its tan shade, being in effect very similar in 
colour to our tan shoes which have been so popular during the past few years. 
Wool khaki cloth when analysed is very little different to the ordinary indigo 
blue serge which everyone is familar with, only that it is dyed a different 
colour. Really speaking then, khaki only represents a colour, simply being a 
drab, sandy shade, and it can be applied to either cotton, woollen, worsted, or 
even linen. Some seem to think that itis a new shade, but it is not so by any 
means. It has been in use in India for the past twenty-five years, while I 
believe in Australia it has been known and used for several years. ‘The nights 
KL 
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