155 
Eaeh handful is tlien piled musket fashion, and 
left to dry. When perfectly dry, tlie woody 
portion, which has been more or less broken, is 
separated from the fibre by farther beating and 
shaking. From 3 to 6 maunds of flbre are 
extracted from each beegali of plant. The fibre 
is used for making rope, sackcloth, nets, twine, 
and paper. The raw material on the field, as 
plant, costs from two to four rupees per beegali, 
according to quality ; and the prepared fibre costs 
from four to ten rupees per maund, according 
to strength, length, and cleanliness of fibre. 
Exhibited by the Conservator of Forests. 
4.192. Khus Khus. Anatherum muricatum. 
4.193. Bunkuss. Andropogon involutus. 
4.194. Moong. Saccharum munja. 
4,195-6. Nurkool. Amphidonax bengalensis. 
Collection of Fibres exhibited by the Amritsur 
Local Committee. 
3,005. Euphorbia royleana. Amritsur. 
3,006. Hibiscus eannabinus. Amritsur. 
3,007. Saccharum sara. Amritsur. 
3,008. Musa paradisiaca. Amritsur. 
3,009. Anemone obtusiloba. Amritsur. 
3,010. Phoenix dactylifera. Amritsur. 
3,011. Calotropis procera. Amritsur. 
3,012. „ flax. Amritsur. 
3,013. Cannabis sativa. Kashmir. 
Fibres exhibited by the Bombay Committee. 
5.655. Flax. From Kattyawar. 
5,657. Aloe fibre. From Dharwar. 
5.656. Sunn fibre, exhibited by Mr. V. Fretwell of 
Khandeish. 
Collection of Fibres, from the India Museum, 
London, selected and arranged by Dr. M. C. Cooke. 
3.135. Oolut. Abroma augusta, 
3.136. Indian mallow. Abutilon indicum. 
The plants are gathered and freed of their 
leaves and twigs, and are put out to dry in the 
sun for a couple of days. They are then taken 
up, tied into bundles, and placed under water 
for about ten days, after which they are taken 
out, and the fibres are well washed to remove 
the bark and other foreign matter that may be 
adhering to tliem, and are placed in the sun to 
dry. 
3.142. American aloe. Agave americana, 
3.143. Great aloe. Agave vivipara. 
3.144. Indian aloe. Aloe indica. 
3,146. Pine apple. Ananassa sativa. 
The leaves are gathered in the same way as 
the aloe, and are placed on a piece of board and 
scraped with a blunt knife. The fibres that are 
loosened are drawn out, the leaves turned over, 
and from four to six inches of the stem end 
scraped as before, and as soon as the fibres are 
loosened by the removal of the pulp in that part 
of the leaf, the fibres are taken hold of by ths 
fingers and drawn out. These fibres are again 
laid on the board, and any remaining portion of 
the pulp gently scraped out with the aid of 
water, when they are gathered and dried in the 
sun. 
By another mode of treatment, the leaves are 
laid in the sun so as to dry up a portion of the 
sap, when, on being taken up and bruised by 
the hand, the fibres become loosened, and may be 
taken hold of, and drawn out. But a great loss 
of fibre results, so that this method cannot be 
recommended. 
3,146a. Khus Khus. Anatherum muricatum. 
3,149. Gomuti palm. Arenga saccharifera. 
3.157. Rhea(called China grass). Brehmeria nivea. 
3.158. Puya. Boehmsria puya. 
3,161. Palmyra palm. Borassus flabelliformis. 
3,165. Mudar. Calotropis gigantea. 
Prepared as follows :— 
The branches are gathered and dried in the 
sun for from twenty-four to thirty-six hours, 
when they are taken up, the bark peeled from 
the woody parts, and the fibres gathered. If 
placed out in the dew for a night they lose 
their greenish tint, and become white. 
3,167. Kangra hemp. Cannabis sativa. 
It grows spontaneously and in abundance 
everywhere in the submontane tracts, but is cul- 
tivated for the fibre only in the eastern portions 
of the Kangra, and in the Simla Hills. In 1859 
an experimental consignment of two tons of 
Himalayan hemp was valued in the English 
market at from 301. to 321. per ton, and during 
the past year another larger consignment of hemp 
has been despatched at Government expense, by 
request of the merchants of Dundee. The price 
at Lahore is about 151. or 161. per ton. 
3,169. Kittul. Caryota urens. 
3.173. Cocoa nut fibre. Cocos nucifera. 
3.174. Jute. Corchorus capsularis. 
3,174a. Brown Jute. Corchorus fuscus. 
3,275. Jute. Corchorus olitorius. 
3.178. Taliera. Corypha taliera. 
3.179. Sunn hemp. Crotolaria juncea. 
3,181. Jubbulpore hemp. Crotolaria tenuifolia. 
The cultivation of “ hemp ” in the district has 
received considerable impulse of late. Several 
years ago, Mr. Williams having occasion to send 
to Calcutta samples of wax, oil seeds, and other 
materials, filled up the box with indigenous 
hemp to prevent breakage of the bottles. On 
arrival at Calcutta, the cleanness and brightness 
of the fibre struck the consignee, who had it im- 
mediately examined by one of the proprietors of 
the patent Ropewalks, who pronounced it equal 
to the best Russian hemp, and at once sent an 
Order for 400 maunds of it. The trade has since 
gradually increased, and Mr. Williams now 
sends about 6,000 maunds of this fibre annually 
to Calcutta. The plant is regularly cultivated, 
but the cultivation is limited. About 10 per 
Cent, of the fibre is lost in the process of heck- 
ling, and the cost varies according to the several 
places in the district and seasons of the year 
The price of the prepared fibre is from 3r. 8a.. 
to 4r. per maund. The present means of inland 
transport is by country carts to Mizapore, which 
costs Ir. 8a. per maund, and from thence to 
Calcutta, by boats, at a farther cost of Ir. 4a. 
to Ir. 8a., which, with other contingencies, such 
as covering for carts, or guards’ hire, duty in 
native stafes, and agency charges at Mirzapore, 
brings up the cost of the material to 7 rupees 
per maund before it reaches Calcutta. Mirza 
pore is, at present, the nearest place of export. 
The great length of time in getting down bulky 
produce from Central India, and the enormous 
expense of transport, have hitherto prevented 
K 6 +-