Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-05-01
COLUMBUS, o., WEDNESDAYMO
Ramie--A subsliaute for Cotton,

. Ramie-A SubsliGute for Cotton.
bee The Nea0 Orleans Picdptne gives the fol-
lowing account of a new plant: sad3
ee ga new plant has been added to the re-
sources OF our tropical and semi-tropical
region-a new textile which will furnish
the world with clothing, and the means of
knowledge. We have seen within few
days long skeins of cOtton-like fibre, cot
ton-like In whiteness, sOftness and fineness,
hut much stronger, which is now produced
at the rate of five crops per year, in the
State of Vera Cruz, Mexico, where it has
been, cultivated for five years by Belgian
naturalist, and botanist, who went there to
pursue his favorite studies and occupations
in soil ana climate which favor them.
''This plant, called ramie, is a native of
Java; was introduced thence into the Jar
din des Plantes at Paris by some French
sauau in 1874 was regarded then as simply
exhibiting the wonderful advantages of the
tropics. being too delicate for OPEN air culr
ture in cold climates But having been
planted and tried in warmer climates than
that of France, yet not so equatorial as that
Of Java, it has been found to do as well in
them. -, ,-.-..,.;.-t. =, ..-.i5,, ,yi,
-l7q@It is due to M, Bentio Raezl, formerly
chief of the Horticultural Institute of Bel
gium, now of Jantocomaprum, San Andres
Tustla, state of Vera Cruz, Mexico, that we
can now pronounce it a naturalized plant
. of this continent, and to his present visit
; to this city will speedily owe its introduce
ton into the field culture of the Gulf
States, to which it will permanently per-
tain. 9sr7Q .Ygss
1.-THE ramie (its Japanese name) is a plant
like hemp, contains in its stalk the fibre for
which it is raised, and which is grown like
the sugar-cane, from being planted in
lengths of from its stubble; with this ad-
vantage over the stubble of the cane, that
8each succeeding year itgrows better, and
that in Cuba and lower Mexico,i will fur
= nish five, and here at least three cuttings
s in the year. rf 5la- u7sfa-r 81
.s@By new process and some simple ma
chinery invented by M. Raezl, the lint can
be prepared from the stalks, taken fresh
from the ground in twenty-four hours
We all know that months of labor and the
entire discoloring of the fibre follows the
treatment by the ordinary process of flax
and hemp, while the ramie come out white,
clean, pure and unhurt. .tNtsI sj8 +
ssEight hundred pounds of lint to the
acre is to be expected from each cutting of
full growth in fair land. The culture is
similar to that of cane !; but as the plant,
when once set, is hard to eradicate. grows
vigorously and defies the influence of grass
or rival plants, cultivation is only needed
to promote its growth. When ripe itshould
be cut, but neglect to do this causes no spe-
cial damage, so that it may wait days or
weeks the will of the free republicans of
Mexico and the Union. The fibre is long,
fine and strong; the plant easy to raise
oandin southern latitude; and its prep
aration for market is simple and cheap in
cost azfI YEsG
"Under these circumstances we may
safely pronounce that the ramie will, at an
early day, take high rank among our sta
pies" "125'a5 7';"