103
continued for several successive years, but as no candi-date came forward to claim the ottered reward, it was atlast discontinued.
Silk-grass fibre, the fibre of the Agave vivipara , fromPlantation Vigilance, East Coast, Demerara : and Fibiirifibre, obtained from the Ita palm, Mauritia flexuosa, fromthe River Berbice, are exhibited by T. B. Duggin (80and SI, p. 982’;.
Mohoe or Mahoe-fibre, Hibiscus elatus or Thespesiapopulnea , from Demeraru, is exhibited by J. E. Bek (82,p. 982). It is a very strong but coarse fibre, used formaking cordage, coffee-bags, See.
Some good samples of Yucca hemp, together with aleaf of the Yucca scrrulata. from which it is obtained,and rope and cordage manufactured from it, are shownby J. T. Thompson, of Nassau, Bahamas ( p. 970); alsospecimens of the fibre of the Palmetto, and of rope madefrom it. These were deemed worthy of HonourableMention.
In the Trinidad collection are some specimens of thefibre of the pine-apple and aloe; and also of the fibre ofthe Mahagua, or Majagua, Stercitlea carribcra.
Specimens of the leaf and fibre of the Doryanthes ex -ceha are contributed from New South Wales by Sir T. L.Mitchell (p. 990), as well as some rope made of thelatter. These were deemed worthy of HonourableMention.
Some good samples of New Zealand flax, Phormiumtena. r, are contributed by various exhibitors. Amongstothers, by Tao Nui, a New Zealand Chief (44, p. 198*);New Zealand flax, as prepared by the natives, by Rev.,T. Collinson (8, p. 1000): J. Robertson (4, p. 1001);J. Caradus (25, p. 1002); and by Tyrrel (1 and 28,pp. 1000 and 1002): New Zealand flax, cleaned and pre-pared by machinery, exhibited by Wiiytlaw & Son (34,p. 1002). Each of these exhibitors was deemed worthyof Honourable Mention.
A bale of “ New Orleans moss ” (TiUandsia usneoides),prepared as a substitute for horse-hair, See., as a stuffingmaterial for upholstery purposes, is exhibited by G. Hicks(559, p. 14G9). 'This substance possesses considerableelasticity, and appears to be very well adapted for theabove-mentioned purpose: it is stated that it may be hadin any quantity, and at a comparatively small price.The Jury awarded a Prize Medal for this fibre, which,though not altogether new in the London market, doesnot appear so well known as it deserves to be.
A sample of the fibrous husks of the maize, or Indiancorn, also used for stuffing mattresses, is shown by F. O.Kktteridce, of Mount Vernon, New Hampshire (253,p. 1452). This substance, though not so good as the“ New Orleans moss,” being much more brittle and lesselastic, was deemed worthy of Honourable Mention.
In the Austrian collections, specimens of fibrous wooddivided into very thin and slender strips, and used insteadof straw in the manufacture of a sort of plaited work, areshown by S. Tandlkr, of Zinnwald, near Tuplitz, in ,Bohemia (657, p. 1031). A Prize Medal was awardedfor this ingenious application.
A specimen of Cynosurus cristatus is shown byL. Vanden Abele, of Appels, West Flanders (p. 1153).This also was deemed deserving of Honourable Mention.
Samples of China -grass, or nettle-fibre, TJitica (Boeh-mcria ) nivea, from China , are exhibited by C. M. Copland(pp. 1421, 1422), and by Mrs. IJawson (p. 1424).
A good fibre, prepared from the date palm (132), to-gether with rope, string, nets, and brushes made from thefibres, are contributed from Broulos, Ghizeh, and otherplaces in Egypt .
A useful fibrous material, proposed as a substitute foranimal hair, and also for other purposes, obtained fromthe dwarf palm of Algeria , is exhibited by Avkuskng &Co., of Toulouse, in the Algerian collection (3, p. 1259).The Jury awarded a Prize Medal for the introduction ofthis substance.
A new fibrous material, proposed for wadding, forclothing, and for upholstery work, in stuffing mattresses. ;&c., is exhibited by C. G. Fabian, of Humboldsaw, near .Breslau (95, p. 1054). This substauce, which is called“ pine wool,” is prepared from the leaves or needles of
pine trees: it is soft and somewhat elastic, though thefibre is very weak, so that it would perhaps soon mat orfelt together in mattresses. It has been found to be verycleanly, and peculiarly free from the attacks of insect?.,and might probably be advantageously employed, mixedwith some stronger and more elastic fibre. The Jura -awarded a Prize Medal for this substance.
A good sample of aloe fibre, prepared from the AgaveAmericana, is exhibited by the Marquis de Ficalho(Portugal , 535, p. 1313). This was deemed worthy ofHonourable Mention.
Specimens of flax, cotton, pita, or aloe fibre, and mallowfibre, are contributed from Madeira.
A fine and very beautiful fibrous material, called“ Bejuco,” is exhibited from the island of Luzon by theEconomical Society of Manilla (234, p. 1344). Thissubstance is very strong, and is used in the manufactureof plaited work, and a sort of cloth remarkable for itsstrength and softness. The Jury awarded a Prize Medalfor it.
Specimens of several of the textile fibres of Cuba arecontributed by Ramon de la Sagra (pp. 1338, 1339),including the Daguiila or fibrous inner bark of the Lagettalintearia , together with cord made of it; cord and matsmade of palm fibres; Magagna, the fibre of the Paritimndatum , and the fibre of the Hibiscus cannabinus. Thesewere deemed worthy of Honourable Mention.
Samples of a valuable grass, the Macrochloa tenacissima ,much used for the manufacture of cord, &c., and whichmight probably be advantageously employed by paper-makers, are exhibited b}* D. Villars, of lluesca (158,p. 1339). This was deemed worthy of HonourableMention.
Plantain fibre, prepared from the stem of the plantain,ATtisa sapientum , is exhibited by A. Vinas, of PuertoRico (160, p. 1339) ; and Pita, the fibre of the wild aloe,Agave Americana, is shown by P. de las II eras, ofMurcia (161, p. 1339).
Sfxtiox VI. —Cellular Substances.
Comparatively few substances demanding the attentionof the Jury are exhibited in this division: they may, infact, be included under three heads,—namely, cork, ricepaper, and amadon or German tinder.
The number of specimens of cork exhibited is verysmall: the most important series is a small collectionshown by T. Peet (132. p. 205*) iii illustration of itsuses and the mode in which it is manufactured. Thiswas deemed worthy of Honourable Mention. Samplesare likewise shown by B. French (127, p. 205*).
Specimens of cork-wood (a very light wood, in cer-tain respects resembling cork, and which might pos-sibly be employed as a substitute for cork in some of itsapplications) are contributed from British Guiana byG. Pontifex (102b, p. 984) and T. B. Duggin (102,p. 9S4). Several similar light and porous woods, such asthe polac of the Archipelago , used for making lloats forfishing-nets, are shown in the East Indian collection.
Good samples of French cork, both in the rougli stateand when cut by De Bossimon’s patent machinery, areexhibited by Duprat & Co.* (492, p. 1201). Some finespecimens of Algerine cork are likewise shown in theFrench Department in the collection exhibited by theCommission of Woods and Forests (47. Alger., p. 1262).These were deemed worthy of Honourable Mention.
One specimen of good Portuguese cork is contributedby D-.
Very good samples of cork are shown in the Spanish collection by J. Guinart,* of Seville (188, p. 1341), andby the Province of Gerona. * These were each deemedworthy of Honourable Mention.
Samples of “ shola,” the cellular pith-like stems of the.Eschynomene aspera (Hedysarum lagenarium ) from thevicinity of Calcutta , are shown in the East Indian col-lection. This remarkable substance, which closely re-sembles in appearance the well-known “ rice paper,” well
* Awarded a Prize Medal by Jury of Class XXYIil.