The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1894-08-10
BAST FIBERS.
THE UNcUL 7lYATEO OWES or THE UNITED
STATES.
The u. S. Department of Agriculture Issue
Something Very Interesting on Ff6er
Culture.
THE RoZEILE HEMP PLANT.

This is the Jamaica Indian Sorref'
hibiscus sabdayi6a), the plant which
furnishes the "rozelle" Tor oiselle)
hemp of the Madras territories. In
India it is small bush, cultivated lu
many portions of that country, its
stems yielding strong silky fiber by
retting the twigs when in flower. It's
fcshy calyxes, of pleasant acid taste,
nre much employed for making tarts
as well as Jelly, and in the West Indies
the fruit is much esteemed for making
cooling drinks Another culinary use
of the plant in India is the preparation
of its leaves in salads. The species
grows in southern Florida, where it is
planted in March and comes to matu-
rity in December.
f. N. Knapp, of Tarpon Springs.
Fla. states that the plant thrivcs i'm
cultivation, but that it will not stand
much frost. 1t will grow on quite
poor land, though it does best on good
land, where it reaches height of to
10 feet 1t can be produced from cut
tings as we'll al from seed. Even in
Florida it is much esteemed for, it's
fruit, which is used soon after the b1os-
SONS fall 1t is said to make M er1.se
iunt jelly, and is used rs sauce mhcll
as the cranberry is used in the Northt
ern States.
A superb sample OF this fiber ?
shown in the exhibit of British Guin.a, !,
Chicda0. I6o0 D: yyllHl1z0N 0myMlies1't
by the 7afaiks som6 10 fect nigh, as as
straight and clean as iute stalks. The
fiber is produced only experimentalfH
in that country, but it might be.used
commercially If tlst shown'was on av-
@erage sainple..
AFLoRIpA sPEcIEs.
Another 5smalvaceous plant which
grows Wild all over India, and which
is common in Florida, is Uron0 tobata-
1t also abounds in South America, it's
Brazilian name being Gua1i"d, or
uairya,a,+ while it is known in Vcpe-
Zuela rs CadiU0. It's Indian name is
bun -ochra, the natives of India consid-
ering it's fiber useful for manufacture
into sacking and twine. 1t is called O.
'tolerable substitute for hemp"
DR.. Ernst, director of the national
museum, Caracas, Venezuela, describes
the fiber as very fine, white In colors
and meter in length. 1t is very finf
and takes dyes readily. =
Fiber of U,.ena to6atd was received
from Brazil exhibition 1876, where it
is extracted readily and makes very
strong cordage. eft takes color well,
and the dyes are lasting" In the East
Indies it has been used for the manu-
facture of paper. Spon states that
slips of sized paper weighing 39 grains
made from this fiber sustained 10
pounds against bank of England note
pulp At pounds. Urena sinuat0 ii
another Indian species.
/ have found Urcna tobata growing
in many portions of Florida, both Oh
the east and west coasts, though have
never seen its slender stalks over feet
in height. 1t was several times pointed
out to ne as 'ramie" by people. who
had never seen the true ramie growing
Recently the plant has been sent to
the Department from several localities
in Florida and one in Indiana with in
quiries as to its value commercially
A common name which attaches to the
plant in Florida is "Cesar.weea :.
Notes on Ossste ofpera." Chicago Enpositioh.
ITO be continued. 4 = eHS.s