The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1895-09-18
claimed, inevitably supersede linen for

qualities, why has it's general adoption
been so long delayed? The reason is
that even in 1885 the Reporter on Indian
Flores and Fibrous Substances for the
Colonial and Indian exhibition of that
year was constrained to state that Rhea
Tor ramie) fibre has still, to be separated
from the bark and the gum at price
which will pay. At the Paris exposi.
ton, in 1889, four machines, entered
for trial, failed to yield satisfactory
results Of three machines tried at
New Orleans, in 1892, two proved failures
owing to the clogg!ng of the running
gear by the exuding gum, and the third
was found ill-adapted to the varied
sizes of the stalks. America now claim
to have solved all difficulties and
brought the ultimate fibre down to a
com mercial basis. The paternal gov
eminent of the United States is about
to substitute the growing Of ramie within
it's southern territory. Various efforts
have been made, in the interim, on she
continent to attend similar or improved
results, but we are not aware that any
one Of these attempts has stood the test
of continued practical working. Nor
has CIR eat Britain been idle or less alert
IN this important matter.
The Midland Spinning company, of
Long Eaton, claims that for the past
twelve months it has been engaged in
treating and degumming ramie and
spinning the results into yarns, which
are being sold in the open market at
very remuneratiye prices. The process
used is the invention of Mr.. FL. H. Boyle,
which, we understand, has been pat
ented 1t may be permissible, however
to explai the general principle of his
system. The ramie Tor rhea grass)
reaches the works IN the form of ribbons
or lamieres. 1t is passed through a
series of tanks or chemical baths, which
remove the gum and subsequently sof
ten and bleach the fibre. The ramie is
drawn slowly through these, clasped
between two endless chains, kept mov-
ing by suitable gearing. At the feed
ing end the chains are kept about one
foot apart, and above the other, but as
they near the first tank they approach
until they firmly grasp the bundles of
ramie placed between them. AS the
fbr e passes from one tank to another
the chains again separate and allow the
ramie to pass between rollers, which are
f1uted breaking cylinders in the fir st
stage, and wringlng rolls in the latter
pUAO u OAO PAOOCoo' AAO gum 40 NlS-
solved in the first tank, and when the
ramie has passed the rollers the fibre is
sufficiently loosened to be pulled out
free from the woody part of the bark.
When the ramie finally energies at the
end OF the apparatus it is pure white
filasse, and after drying is made into
silver. The time occupied is little over
five hours. This silver is gradually re-
duced to yarn by the usual rowing and
spinning frames. which are exactly
similar to those used for spinning silk
and long staple woods.
Thus there can be no difficulty in
working this ramie silver in other spin
ming mills with ordinary machinery,
although experts allege that the best
results in yarns for the manufacture of
dam asks and sailoloth are got from wet
spinning machinery. 1t is an open
secret, not wholly confirmatory of Amer.
ica's claim to have fully solved the
treatment of ramie that Messrs. Burnet
& Co., Bank of Scotland buildings, Glas-
cow, have shipped yarn spun from
ramie to be manufactured into canvas
in the states for the sails of the Amer
lean vatch Defender; but it shows the
enterprise and the determination of
America to retain the challenge cup.
This company and it's customers are
now so satisfied with their process and
its financial results thas project is
under consideration to enter upon the
cultivation of ranie in a tract of
countaY secured or under offer, from