The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-07-31
THE PACIFIC
Commercial AoOtrtiser
SATURDAY. July 81
The Ramie Plant.


We copy the following, as Of interest to some
Of our agriculturists, from a pamphlet entitled,
The Ramie Plant its origin, cultivation, value
&C., published in San Francisco for nIr. Joseph
Graham, Nursery-man. at Haywards, Alameda
county, Cal. Messrs. J. p. Sweeney & Co, Seeds
men Of San Francisco, inform rs that there are
several parties in that city who purchase Ramie
in green stripped fibre at about $500 per ton,
1t is acknowledged BY all writers on the growth.
progress, and development of nations, that all
permanent and durable blessings to Q people come
alone from the soil. 1t has been asserted BY Do
litical economists, that q strictly manufacturing,
or 4 trades people, have no durable basis, as q
foundation upon which to build States and Ma
tons. So also u strictly mining people lack the
very essential elements TO 4 permanent success.
Agriculture, the cultivation Of the soil, produc-
tive labor of the ground alone, give TO any people
that solid and permanent foundation of prosperity,
which at once rewards the hand of toll, and pro-
notes and gives stability to INT and manu-
%tactures, as essential aids to any wellregulated
and powerful people.
California, q few years ago, was regarded as a
purely mining country, unstable and fuctuating;
but of late years it has become known to all the
world, that in the adaptability Of her varied
climate, she excels in agricultural and pastoral
facilities, any country in the world her climate
peculiar, her soil so varied, that it requires but
~ July III e DBCOAAd EtAulg anu 4 v Il
hundred fold to the patient hand of labor.
In the cultivation Of the Rdnie, a new textile
fabric, like every new principle, it has to over
come the fixed views and known prejudices of
mankind before 1T can receive its full need of
praise or deserts. Ii comes in competition with
'' King Cotton silk, and wool and therefore
must fight it's way to acknowledged superiority.
In considering the cultivation of the Ramie,
what we first desire to know is, ciU IL pay rs
there money IN IL? to which we answer, that in
our belief it promises a better result in clear cash
to the farmer than any other known article OF
production which comes from the soil and at no
distant day, is destined to be one of the most i'm
portant industries on this Coast.
RAMIE-ITs HISTORY 50 ORIGIN.
Is a native of the island of Java, and was first
brought to Europe for investigation in 1874,
where it received the botanical name of B0ch-
nleyiG TenaciSSina, and from the popularity OF
it's fabric, its s~oftness, strength, beauty, fineness,
with the possibility of blending with all the
known fbres of woven stuffs, attracted great at
tention in manufacturing circles. In the East
Indies, considerable attention has Of late been
given to its culture, in order to supply the de-
mands Of European wants.
Its introduction into the United States in 1867,
has given it a new interest among manufacturers
abroad-the fibre being superior to that of any
other textile plant, producing fabrics of the finest
quality, assimalating linen Of the closest texture,
mixing with wool, cotton, fax, and rivaling silk
III lustre-eAceLllnS all III strength ana uuraDlllty.
RAMIE CONSIDERED
AS an article of is engaging the
attention of thoughtful and intelligent farmers
everywhere, and particularly in California, since
it has proven its success in the Southern States
agriculturists are looking about for a crop to
relieve the worn out and exhausted wheat fields
one which is as Indispensable to the wants of
mankind as the cereals, and as Ramie supplies
several requisites III one staple, it is at once the
desire of all to know every detail of its growth,
cultivation, harvest, demands, etc, etc.
RAAIE COMPARED
With cotton, is adapted tC a greater range of
usefulness, and is capable Of being worked into
the lightest as well as the heaviest fabrics. 1t
requires less culture, and is cheaper to harvest
and prepare for the loom, than any other fibre
adapted to the various uses, and is co-eXtensive
with the wants of civilization. Let the energetic
mind of Californians take hold of this principle,
as its importance demands-let our skilled labor
take precedence of the Old World, and pay no
more .tithes for an article Of manufacture and
shipment let this valuable fibre be the fruit of
our looms, and the thousand of idle lands now
useless, be brought into the growth of Ramie;
when, in truth, our country may blossom as the
rose, and bring its abundant blessings to the
industrious husbandmen.
THE RAMIE PLANTING COMPANY
OF Louisiana, in their circular for 1871, gives
the following information in reference to the pro-
uuCItOA Va eiLliC uDN CuSOuluRCS Int DCOllC "
the Southern States to embark largely in the
planting, for it greatly exceeds in economy of
tillage, every other known production, both in
expense of men, money and animals, its clear
profit being immensely above that of corn, cotton,
or cane-say 500 to $500 per acre, instead of
fifty to one hundred, for the last.
" Orders have been sent from Europe for all
the Ramie we can raise, in the crude and yellow
state as cleaned in the field, and at prices varying
from $276, to 1926 and 1875 per ton. Buyers
from Europe say they do net want Ramie that
has been made white aud silky by bleaching.
They prefer it in its Grade, yellow condition.
When refined by them, it is worth from So to "a
per pound. From ten to twelve hundred pounds
per acre of cleaned Ramie will be the amount pro-
duced at each cutting, and from ten to seventy
five cents per pound, according to quality, will
be the market price. Machines for Ramie clean
ing invented here, will clean by hand power and
four men, / ,000e per day, and with steam power,
attended by ten hands, will clean ten acres q day.
The plant thrives best in rich soil. On sandy
lands it natures earlier, and in stiff lands it
not destroy the plant. 1t will grow and have
leaves in the water, without any soil. 1t is q
water plant, and will grow either in dry or wet
lands"
THE CHARACTER OF SOIL AND CLIMATE
Required for the growth and cultivation of the
Ramie, is.that of a sandy loan of loose texture,
facilitating the expansion and development of the
tulS iOSdiity3 InS pIduG OOes well III duy
lands adapted to the growth of corn, wheat,
barley or oats-even in heavy adobe soil, it will
thrive, with ordinary cultivation. 1t bears our
dry seasons as well or better than ordinary grains
or vines but moisture is essential, as to every
thing else. The interior valleys, with a heated
atmosphere, are well calculated to forward its
growth-and as it thrives luxuriantly upon the
coast where the atmosphere is freighted with the
ocean fogs, it is ~presumable that the valleys of
the interior will meet its wants, in all particulars
of soil and climate as well. Ramie does not yield
its energies of growth to any degree of cold or
frost visiting our climate. it is perennial in its
life, and requires but once planting to yield
untold harvests-the ground being deeply and
thoroughly broken and well pulyerized. keeps
loose in all soils.
TO PLANT AND CULTIVATE RANIE
The ground being prepared as above, plant in
rows 3 feet apart, setting the roots in the rows a
little closer, say about 2 feet distant cultivate