BOEHMERIA FRUTESCENS. Munk Pooah of the PARBUTTIAH. I Yenki, . . . LIMBOO.
Kienki, . . . LEPCHA. Poee of GAEHWAL, KUMAON.
This plant grows wild, to a height of 6 or 8 feet, in the mountain valleys of Eastern Nepal and Sikkim, and in the hills near the Terai, to eleva tions of 1000 to 3000 feet. Its fibre is used for twine, rope, fishing-nets, and game-bags, and could be woven into sailcloth. When to be used as a fibrous material, it is cut down when the seed is formed, as with the common flax in Europe. At this time the bark is most easily removed, and the produce is best. After the seed is ripe it is at least deteriorated. As soon as the plant is cut, the bark or skin is removed, and is then dried in the sun for a few days ; when quite dry, it is boiled with wood ashes for four or five hours ; when cold, it is beaten with a mallet on a flat stone until it becomes rather pulpy, and all the woody portion of the bark has disappeared ; then it is well washed in pure spring water, and spread out to dry. After exposure for a day or two to a bright sun, it is ready for use. When the finest description of fibre is wanted, the stuff, after being boiled and beaten, is daubed over with wet clay, and spread out to dry. When thoroughly
dry, the clay is rubbed and beaten out; the fibre is then ready for spinning into thread, which is done with the common distaff. The Pooah is principally used for fishing-nets, for which it is admirably adapted on account of its ghat strength of fibre, and its extraordinary power of long re sisting the effects of water. It is also used for making game-bags, twine, and ropes. It is con sidered well adapted for making cloth, but is not much used in this way. Pooah fibre, when pro perly dressed, is quite equal to the best Europe flax, and will produce better sailcloth than any other substance seen in India. If potash were used in the preparation (which is invariably done with Russian hemp and flax) instead of clay or mud, the colour would be improved, the substance rendered easy to dress, and not liable to so much waste in manufacturing. Captain Thomp son thought that it would be worth twelve rupees a maund in Calcutta.—Roy/e, p. 368.