Class IV.]
NEW ZT .ALAND FLAX—VARIOUS EAST INDIAN FIBRES.
101
high-pressure steam till nearly dry. A very beautifulseries of specimens illustrating the preparation of thisfibre, the various stages of the process, the bleaching ofit, and the uses to which it may be applied, both alone andin conjunction with other fibrous materials in the forma-tion of mixed fabrics, is shown by Messrs. IV right (42,p. 197*). For these the Jury awarded a Prize Medal.
Very beautiful samples of China-grass fibre are like-wise shown by Messrs. Hives and Atkinson'* (45, p.198*), already mentioned as exhibiting superior samplesof flax. For these two series the Jurv awarded a PrizeMedal.
Equally fine specimens are exhibited by Messrs. Mar-shall and Co.,* of Leeds (55, p. 199*), whose samplesof flax have already been alluded to. For these samplesalso the Jury awarded a Prize Medal.
A valuable and instructive series of samples of NewZealand flax is contributed by E, \V. Trent (41, p.197* ), in illustration of its manufacture and uses. It isstated that the flax is prepared from the leaves of thePhormium tenax, without any process of steeping, and bya simple mechanical process, which the exhibitor suggestsmight be advantageously carried on in New Zealand itself.Tins series was deemed worthy of Honourable Mention.
Some interesting specimens, showing the native manu-facture of New Zealand flax, are likewise exhibited byTao Nui, a New Zealand chief (44, p. 198*). The flaxis prepared for weaving, by soaking it for two days inwater, twisting it into hanks, and then beating it with amallet on a stone. This series was deemed worthy ofHonourable Mention.
Good specimens of cocoa-nut fibre are shown in illus-tration of the various purposes to which it is now exten-sively applied, by J. Barsham (56, p. 199*), and byAVildev and Co. (Class XXVIII., 40, p. 7S0).
In this department of raw produce, as in most others,the East Indian collection is peculiarly rich,—very in-teresting varieties of vegetable fibres being exhibited(pp. 382-384). The old investigations of Dr. Roxburgh, inthe beginning of the present century, already referred to,are of much importance in connexion with this subject;and it is remarkable that though the value of some ofthese Indian fibres was well known to him, and that herepeatedly sent samples of them to this country, they havenever received that attention from practical men whichthey certainly deserved, with the exception of one or twothat have long since become considerable articles ofimport. Of these, we may instance the jute, the fibre ofthe Corchorus capsularis, and C. olitorius , of which, ashas just been stated, more than ten thousand tons areannually imported into Liverpool alone. The followingTable shows the comparative strength of several of theseEast Indian fibres, as ascertained by Dr. Roxburgh ; butit must be borne in mind, that, in several instances, thefibres had evidently been very rudely and imperfectlyprepared : the experiments were made in 1804.
Breaking
j W eight.
1 lbs.
-
Cannabis sativa —
-; 105
2. Murga (Sanseviera)
Aletris nervosa -
- 120
3. Aloe- - -
-
Agave americana ? -
- 110
4. Ejoo — - —
-
Saguerus Rumphii -
96
5. Donsha — —
_
yEschvnomone cannabina 88
6. Coir - - —
_
87
7. Hemp (Indian)
-
Cannabis sativa —
74
8. Woollet comal
—
Abroma Augusta -
74
9. ?
_
Bauhinia - - —
69
10. Sunn- - -
-
Crotolaria juncea -
68
11. Bunghi paat -
-
Corchorus olitorius
6S
12. Ghu nala paat
-
,, capsularis
67
13. ?
_
61
-
39
It is evident, however, that these experiments could nothe regarded as giving at all accurate comparative results :they only proved that many of the fibres were very strong,and well merited further trials. Tn 1808, Dr. Roxburgh
made a second scries of similar experiments, the resultsof several of which were as follows :—
Breaking
Weight.
lbs.
1.
Bow-string hemp -
Asclepias sp. — — —
24 S
0_
Callooee hemp —
l rtica tenacissima - -
240
3.
?
Corchorus capsularis —
164
4.
Sunn — — — —
Crotalaria juncea — -
160
5.
Hemp (Indian) —
Cannabis sativa - -
158
6.
Doncha - — —
JEschvnomone cannabina
138
7. -? — — - Hibiscus strictus - - 128
8. Musta paat — - ,cannabinus — 115
9. Bunghi paat - — Corchorus olitorius - 113
10. Plantain - - - Musa- - - - - 79
It is plain that the strength of all these fibres was as-certained under very unfavourable circumstances, andthere is no doubt that they would have been found evenyet more valuable had they been well and properly pre-pared. The principal vegetable fibres contributed fromIndia are the following: —
1. “Callooee,” “Rhea,” or “China-grass,” the fibreof Urtica tenacissima , and one or two other varieties ofUrtica , already mentioned as well known in commerceunder the name of “ China-grass/’ Strictly speaking, itis probable that China-grass and Callooee hemp, are theproduce of two distinct species of Urtica , though thefibre of the two is very similar, and, for all practical pur-poses, in fact identical. China-grass, as it is most com-monly called, is the produce of the Urtica ( Boelmeria)nivea of Willdenow , whilst the Callooee, Kalmoi, or Ramiof Sumatra, is obtained from the Urtica ( Boehmeria )tenacissima of Roxburgh. It is from this latter plant,also, that the Rhea of Assam is procured. The plantsyielding this beautiful fibre are very abundant in manyparts of the empire, and may be had in almost unlimitedquantities. In the form of hemp, and when the fibre iswell prepared, it is remarkably strong, and when tho-roughly bleached, though the strength is then somewhatdiminished, it acquires a most remarkably beautiful whitesilky lustre. Various specimens of this fibre are contri-buted from different parts of India; from Calcutta ;from Assam , by Major Hannay ; Baboo Deonath, andBaboo Lakenatii (pp. 882-884), from Rungpore, in thedistrict of Moorshedabad, &c., and from Singapore : thesethe Jury deemed severally worthy of Honourable Men-tion. Some interesting samples of the fibre of the Urtica heterophylla are contributed by Mr. Thomas (pp. 382-884) ; this plant is abundant in Mysore , and especially inthe Neilgherries, flourishing in Alpine jungles: unfor-tunately, it is one of the most highly venomous of allthe nettle tribe. It is stated that the Todawars preparethe fibre of this plant by boiling the stems in water, afterwhich, they readily separate it from the woody parts,and then spin it into a coarse but very strong thread.The Malays simply steep the stems in water for ten ortwelve days, after which they are so much softened,that the outer fibrous portion is easily peeled off.
2. “ Yercum nar.” The fibres of the Calotropis(Asclepias) gigantea, a plantwhich grows wild, abundantly,in various parts of the Bengal and Madras Presidencies,and is used by the natives in the manufacture of cord,called “ Lamb-dore,” or “ Toondee coir.” The fibre isof very remarkable strength: from some recent experi-ments made by Dr. Wight, its tenacity, as compared withsome of the other Indian fibres when made into ropes, isas follows:—
Breaking
Weight.
lbs.
1. Yercum nar — — Calotropis gigantea — 552
2 Janapum - - — Crotolaria juncea - - 407
3. Cutthalay nar - - Agave Americana - 362
4. Cotton - - - Gossypium herbaceum - 346
5. Marool - — - Sanseviera zeylanica - 31G
6. Poolev mungu - - Hibiscus cannabinus — 290
* Awarded also by the Jury of Class XIV.