102
Specimens of the Yereum, or fibre of Asclepias gigantea ■(and of the Tongoos, and of the Asclepias tenacissima),or bow-string hemp of Rajeinahl, are sent from Coim-batore , and other districts in the Madras Presidency.
3. “ Umbaree,” or “ Maestee pat;*’ the fibre of thePalnngeo, or Hibiscus cannabinus, a plant common allover India , and cultivated in many parts for the sake Iof its fibre. The process, generally adopted, seems to |be that of steeping the stems in water till putrefactioncommences, when they are taken out, washed, and beatenuntil the fibre separates from the woody portion of the jstem : this fibre is contributed from Madras.
4. “ Marool,” or “ Moorva bow-string hemp, oh- !taiued from the Sanseriera ztylanica , a plant abundantin the southern parts of the continent of India , sent fromCuttack, Coimbatore , and other districts in the Madras .Presidency: a good specimen is exhibited bv F. Lima( pp. 88*2-884Y
5. “ Jute,” or “ Pasit,” &e., the fibre of various speciesof Corchorus, especially C. olitorins, well known in com-merce, one variety of it having been formerly calledChinese hemp. Many different samples of this fibre arecontributed from Calcutta and from Madras. FromRungpore, in the district of Moorshedabad, samples ofthree varieties of jute are sent, called Suited HemontyPat, Lall Hemonty Pat, and Lall Petrie Pat.
6. “ Sunn,” “ Janapaui,” Indian hemp : the fibre ofthe Crotolaria jnncea, likewise well known in commerce.Good samples are contributed from Coimbatore , &e.
7. “ Dhuncha,” or “ Danche,” obtained from thesBschynomene cannahina , used by the natives of Bengal to make fishing-nets: a remarkably strong thoughrather harsh fibre, pretty well known in commerce. Theplant is commonly cultivated in Bengal : good specimens,accompanied by cordage and rope manufactured from it,are exhibited by Messrs. Thompson of Calcutta (p. 884):these were deemed worthy of Honourable Mention.
8. “ Coir,” the fibrous part of the husk of the cocoa-nut,Cocos nucifera . well known in commerce: good samplesare sent from Calicut.
9. Xar, or aloe fibre, the produce of the Agavevicipara, and other allied species. A valuable and strongfibre is prepared in many parts of Iudia, from differentspecies of aloe. A very interesting series of these fibres,which are obtained from the large Ilill aloe, and fromthe small aloe, illustrating the preparation of the fibre,exhibiting some of the uses to which it is applicable,and showing the facility with which it may be dyedof various colours, is contributed by Dr. Hunterof Madras (pp. 882-884\ who has also added many othervaluable specimens to the Indian collection of fibrous,materials. For these the Jury awarded to him a PrizeMedal.
10 . Specimens of aloe fibre are contributed from variousparts of the Madras Presidency—Madras, Madura, Coim-batore, &c., and from Singapore .
11. Yucca fibre, obtained from Yucca gloriosa , isalso sent from Madras, by Dr. Hunter (pp. 882-884).
12. Ejoo, or Gommuti, obtained from the Arengasaccharifera ( Saguerus Rumphii ), or Gummuttee Palm,much esteemed in the Eastern Archipelago for makingropes and cables, in consequence of its extraordinaryelasticity and durability in water; unfortunately, thevalue of this fibre is greatly diminished by its peculiarfragility. Very good samples of this fibre are contri-buted by Tan Kim Seng, of Singapore (pp. 882-884):these were deemed worthy of Honourable Mention.
13. Putwa, or Mawal fibre, obtained from the Banhiniaracemosa , a plant common throughout the lesser hills ofIndia , contributed from Bhaugulpore, in the division ofPatna.
14. Talli Nanas, fibre of the pine-apple, Bromelia ananas, from various localities. Good samples are ex-hibited from Madras, by F. Lima (pp. 882-884), andDr. Hunter (pp. 882-884); from Singapore , by CaptainIT. Man (pp. 882-8S4) ■ from Travancore , &c. Somevery beautiful specimens of fibre, called “ ananas flax,”are exhibited from Java, by L. "Weber (pp. 882-884):the real source of this fibre does not seem to be very cer-tain, for though from its name it might be supposed to be j
[Class IV.
pine-apple fibre, it more closely resembles that of theUrticas, or Boehmerias, already mentioned. It is soremarkably fine that the Jury awarded a Prize Medal toMr. Weber for it.
13. Plantain fibre, and Manilla hemp, obtained fromthe Musa te.vtilis and M. parudisaica , contributed fromMadras, from Dacca , and by the Rev. M. Stork, fromChittagong (pp. 882-884). Excellent canvas and ropesare shown, made of this fibre, which is extensively usedin the Government establishments at Cejlon.
1G. Marsdenia fibre, obtained from the Marsdenialloylii, and contributed by his Highness the Maharajahof Xeilyl (pp. 882-884).
17. Pulas, fibre of the Buteafrondosa, used for makingcommon cordage, from Beerbhoom, in the division ofMoorshedabad.
18. Parkiusonia fibre, obtained from the stems ofParkinsonia aculeata, introduced from the West Indies ,sent by Mr. Allan, from Madras (pp. 882-884.); said tobe well suited for the manufacture of paper.
19. Roxburghia fibre, obtained from the Tloxburghiagloriosoides.
20. Artocarpus fibre, obtained from an Artocarpns:this and the preceding fibre are contributed by Mr.Simons, from Assam (pp. 882-884).
21. Trap fibre, obtained from the bark of the trap tree,a species of Artocarpns, contributed from Singapore .
22. Trophis fibre, from the drop his aspera.
23. Daphne bark, the fibrous bark of the Daphne can -nabina, used in the manufacture of Nepal paper.
Besides these, several other fibrous substances fromdifferent parts of India are exhibited, such as the fibres ofthe Palmyra leaf, Borassus JlabcUj'onnis, from Madras,the bark of the Sisse tree, contributed by Captain Rey-nolds (pp. 882-884), and a series of vegetable fibres fromArracan, called Tiieng-ban-shaw, Pathayon-shaw, Shaw-pliyos, Ngan-tsoung-shaw, Shaw-me, and Ee-gywot-shaw, Sec., which are Honourably Mentioned.
Several of the Indian fibres, already mentioned, arealso contributed from Ceylon . Good samples are shown,both as mere fibres, and also in the various states ofthread, rope, and coarse cloths; of coir, aloe flax, audthe fibre of the Plantain, Hibiscus , and Sanseveria.
Specimens of aloe fibre are contributed from the Capeof Good Hope by C. Watkrmeyer, of Green Point (17,p. 951).
Aloe fibre, obtained from the Agave Americana andA. vivipara, has been also sent from Barbadoes .
From St. Vincent, samples of the “Maliant” bark inits raw state, the fibrous part in the state in which it isemployed in the manufacture of fishing-nets, and samplesof lapeto, used also in the manufacture of common cordand coarse lines for fishing nets, are exhibited byG. Bullock, of St. Vincent (p. 975).
Several interesting specimens of various fibres areshown in the collection from British Guiana: amongstthese are specimens of silk-cotton, obtained from theBombax cciba, from George Town , Demerara, said to beexported to the United States , and used in the manufac-ture of hats. Exhibited bv E. C. Ross (76a and 76b,p. 981).
Plantain fibre, Musa paradisaica and M. sapientum ,from Plantation Vigilance, East Coast, Demerara, ex-hibited by AV. Davidson (77, p. 981); and from Planta-tion Klein, Pouderoyen River, Demerara, exhibited byA. D. Van df.r G. Xetschkr (78. p. 982). It is calcu-lated that about 8 cwt. per acre of this excellent fibremight be obtained: at present very little of it is used.It is worthy of remark that, in some of the first lists ofpremiums offered by the Society of Arts , about 1762,special attention was drawn to the beautiful fibre of theplantain:—“ Whereas the stem of the Asiatic and Ame-rican fruit-bearing plantain affords three sorts of fibrousmaterials which resemble hemp, hard silk, and cottontailwhich have been experimentally found capable of beingwrought into various sorts of manufactures ; and, -amongothers, into cordage, fustians, lawn, knitting, gauze,blonde lace, and excellent candle-wicks, sundry specimensof which manufactures may be seen in the hands of theRegister of the Society,”- - See. This advertisement was