The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-10

Y SoIlou W uaulaSe from drought, rain
1 and rust, and, un; Ike the cotton plan
e and planter, is not food for worms, DR.
, Panknin has great hopes that it Willie
, come one of our great staples, and il
great measure take the place of thai
, tickle tyrant of the South, King Cot
ton.
> DR.. Panknin thinks that with the
establishment in New York of works
for treating the ramie bark by his pro-
cess that the cultivation Of the plant
will be started and spread over South
Carolina with a quickness and afford
ing a money profit never equaled in the
South since the introduction of cotton
culture.
The cultivation of the ramie plant
has attracted attention for years. In
the annual report of the United States
commissioner of agriculture for 1867
the ramie plant is mentioned as among
the subjects which had at that time
begun to attract the attention of the
enlightened agricultnrist. The Angora
goat and the ramie plant were placed
side by side, the former as producing a
fleece of unsurpassed fineness and the
latter fibre coming in between the
silk and linen, and partaking to some
extent of the characteristics of both.
,"Of this FIBRE" the commissioner said,
1.-The Chinese have made, from time
immemorial, their unique and cool
summer dresses, equalling in many
instances the finest linen productions.
The botanical name Of the ramie
plant is Balkmeria 7enocissinaa, ard it
is also known as "the nettle.. of the
East" OF China grass. It was intro
ducedin the Southern States by NJ.
Roezl, in the spring of 1876, though it
was first introduced into the United
States in 1856, from the botanical gar
den OF Jamaica, and cultivated in the
United States botanical garden and |
subsequently in the experimental gar
den OF the department of agriculture,
where it was grown from the seed.
There is no doubt of its rampant growth |
and great thriftiness in the South, the
experiments that have been made fully
demonstrating the adaptability of the
soil and climate of this part Of the
United States to its cultivation. It
multiplies very rapidly from root plant
ing, one hundred roots having in one
year produced plants enough for over
one hundred and fifty acres, as report
ed from Louisiana.
Ofperennial growth, the stems die in
winter, but new growths shoot up in
the spring, producing strong vigorous
stalks in so short time that it is an
easy matter to secure four crops a year,
and the plants are better for the cut
ting.
The value of the ramie fibre is un-
questioned; its use could be largely ex-
tended if it were properly prepared for
market, and its ultimate necessities de-
pend, not upon the facility of its cul-
ture, or the suitableness of climate, but
upon the economy of its manufacture.
A prominent English. manufacturer
expresses the opinion that it will be-
come staple fibre, and in some degree
supply the place of cotton or wool, if it
can be procured for ten cents a pound.
American planters are said to have in
jured their interests by the manner in
which they have prepared the fibre.
No effective rsachine for stripping the ;
fibre and taking off the outer bark has
yet been discovered. It has been i'm
possible by the methods which have
been employed to discharge the gum,
and most samples that have been seen
have been rendered tender by their
treatment and damaged in strength
and color. An invention that will
make it possible to treat the plant so as
% preserve the fibre and at the same
lime prepare it for the carding machine {
md spindle will place the ramie plant
among the valuable and permanent
of our agricultural industry.
Dr.. Panknin's discovery, he believes, !,
Will solve all the difficulties that have
'een in the way of the largest develop -,
nent of the ramie plant which, as he
ays, is destined some day to become Z
me of the staple crops ofthe South.