The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1871-09-16
THE RAMIE FIRRE.--The few

THE RAMIE FIRRE.--The few
persons engaged in the cultiva-
ton of ramie in the vicinity of
this city are constantly in the re-
ceipt of letters from the Northern
cities and from Europe, making
inquiries relative to ramie culture,
the price at which it can be sold,
and the ar1ount of supply that
can I've depended upon. Some of
the manufacturers who have test
ed tbe value Of the fibre by spin
ming it into thread, say that it
is supsgior to fax, and if there
could be ceFssinty of supply, it
would snpercede altogether the
use of fax in thread spinning
Others assert that they can take
the crude Ebre and In foar. hours
convert it into a fossy silk worth
from three to faur dollars per-
pound, and can weave it into
fabrics having all the fexibility
and lustre Of the Bnest foreign
silks.
With regard to the supply of
ramie, no certain calculations can
be made, from the fact that there
Is but little capital in the hands
OF the plantera, aud it is hard to
force them out of the old habit OF
planting cotton and sugar.
For the Information of North
ern manufacturers. we can state
that the soil of Louisiana is rich
enough, and area of unoecupied
lands sufficiently extensive, to-
produce ramie IN any desired
quantity, provided it Is first plan
ted, Capital is needed for that
purpose, and the North must fur
nish it. When they do so, they
will get the profit both on the
production and the manufacture.
| TIE PRINTING OF GOVERN
MENT NoTEs AND WHAT THEY
ARE MADE 0F.-As very little is
known By those who generally
handle or possess the circulating
medium, We append the following
descriptions - .TEI8LE
"Goyernment notes are printed
on paper FURNISHED expressly for
the purpose by the Treasury De
partment. 1t is of a peculiar
grain and texture, and malufac-
tured by a secret process known
only to a few sworn individuals.
4 strict account is kept OF every
sheet furnished to the note prin-
tiers, and all which are spoiled in
the process, or imperfectly struck
of, must be carefully preserved
and returned 70 the Treasury De-
partmeat, Every sheet and part
Oft sheet IauSt be strictly account
ed for. 1t is thus that all proba.
bilities of fraud are prevented =
The lathes for making the scroll
work cost an immense amount of
money. They are so expensive
that counterfeiters cannot afford
so procure them, It being a feat,
ure especially that the Govern
ment relies for protection against
counterfeters, the different bank
note companies have We'd with
each other in building complicated
and accurate lathes, A good ma
chine for doing first-elass scroll
work is worth a mint of money to
the owners. l.au 500
There are few persons acous-
toned to handling greenbaoks
and shinplasters daily who have
any idea Of the amount of work
necessary to produce the elgray,
ing. We admire the fine work
manship aud beauty of designs,
but unless we take pains to in
quire into the matter, we cannot
appreciate the intricacy of detail.
1t is said that q man worked two
whole mouths in engraving the
head of CnluWhus on the back oil
, So greenbacks, This seems like a
somewhat improbable story, but
,, it is doubtless tFne.
A bank note or greenback is
, printed by several distinct i'm
pressions. That is, it is run
through the press several times
For every impressions there is .
separate engraved plate. Proof
/, of these plates are taken separate
I IL and closely examined bofor,
the notes are struck Off u
, At Long Branch, the othe
{ day one Young girl asked an