The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-05-07
The Ramle Plant.

Experiment in the culture of the Ramie plant is
taking q wider range i'm the United States, while
in our Southern States and in India it has passed
beyond experiment aud has become one of the
staples. It's success in the southern counties of
California, at least, Is not doubtful, and as the
addition Of a new fibrous material to our products
Is every way desirable, the plant should have the
careful attention of our agriculturists. At the
late Mechanics Institute Fair, several samples of
the plant and its manufactured products we're ex-
hibited. The report Just published refers to it in
the following manner:
1t is claimed for the Ramie that is Yields n
finer fibre than Sea Island cotton, is stronger than
the best flax or hemp, and is almost as brilliant as
silk. 1t has Il staple Of SO to 40 inches, and is
therefore of great value for mixing with other
textile fibre of short staple. Eminent botanists
who have experimental upon it pronounce it so
per cent. stronger, and better adapted for the
manufacture of the finest laces, than the best
grade of Belgium fax or linen fibre, and that it
can be spun as fine as the fibre of flax and is twice
as durable. 1t can be mixed with either cotton
wool, flax, or silk, producing a variety of tissues
OF great strength, beauty and fneness. 1t is a
hardy and vigorous grower, and it's growth is
continuous. y crop once planted will stand for
years without requiring to be renewed. 1t requires
less labor to cultivate than cotton--iS not DESTROYED
by wOrms-dOes not suffer from excess of rain and
stands the longest drought without sniurv. From
all that is related of this wonderful plant, it
would seem that it is exposed to no special dam
ger III a suitable climate, has no enemies. REQUIRES
but little labor, needs but Il small capita to pro-
duce a crop, propagates rapidly, yields largely,
commands a ready market at a high price for all
that can be produced, and the market is never
likely to be OverstOcked, as the area for it's sue.
cessful growth Is limited to a belt along the Gulf
coast OF the Southern States, where it is no longer
an experiment, and to the Southern counties of
California and perhaps the valley of the ella.
The moist, rich soil and the warm climate. free
from heavy frOsts of the Tulare Valley, ought TO
produce it in perfection.
In Mississippi it grows 8 feet high, and makes
TWO or three crops a year. Its root goes two feet
into the ground in the dryest seasons and puts
forth luxurious shoots when all other crops suffer
from drought. The dense shade it makes conserves
the moisture In the soil. 1t would therefore seem
to be especially adapted to the climate of Califor-
MIA. It requires the same cultivation as corn, the
first year, and one hand will cultivate 80 acres.
After the first year one or two plowings only will
be necessary, and one hand can cultivate SO to 90
acres. In the Southern States the threshing or
cleaning is done under cover but that would not
often be necessary in California.
The only difficulty in the way of the successful
introduction of the Ramie fibre seems to be i'm the
separation of the fibre from the bark, and the
separation of the bark and fibre from the tree. So
important is the cultivation of the plant considered
in India, a cotton producing country, that the
Governor-G General has offered a prize of S25 900
for the machine or process best adapted for sepa-
rating. The Indian Government also offers to buy
the successful machine at 5 per cent. above It's
cost, and to secure the inventor a profit of 5 per
cent. on all machines made under the patent.
Particulars on the subject can be obtained from
the Librarian of the Mechanics Institute, and the
matter is worth the attention of American inyen-
tors and mechanics--S. f. Bulletin.