DHUNCHEE, the Dunicha or Dhuncha of Bengal, is cultivated for its fibres, which are made into ropes and nets. It is tho Sesbania aculeata, Pasoan. For its culture, the soil is generally low and wet, and not requiring much preparation, as the plant is hardy, growing from six to ten feet, and rapid in growth. It is con sidcred a meliorating crop. The sowing is when the soil luts been moistened by the first showers of April or 3fay. About thirty pounds of seed are allowed to the acre, and less weeding is required than for jute. The crop is ready to eut in September and October, though tho fibre does not stiffer, if left standing till the seed is ripe, in November. Tho process of steeping and cleaning the fibre is similar to that required for sunn, which is Crotalaria juncea. Tho general produce of an acre is from one hundred to one thousand pounds of fibre, the current price somewhat less than that of pa, viz. Corchorus olitorius and C. capsu laris. The expense of cultivation, including land rent, is about nine rupees. The fibres aro long (six to seven feet), but coarser and more harsh than those of hemp, unless cut at a very early period. From its great strength, it is well calcu lated for the manufacture of cordage and cables. In Bengal, the fishermen make drag-ropes to their nets of this fibre, on account of its strength, and durability in water. Indeed, by the Ben gales() it is considered more durable in water than either sunn or plit. It is really a very excellent fibre for common cord and twine pur poses, and certainly very much superior in strength and durability to jute. It is also a much hardier
plant than jute ; the latter, indeed, being rather an uncertain crop for the production of the fine long silky fibre so much called for in England. Though rather wiry, it is strong, and remarkable for its contraction -when wetted,—so much so, that it would even carry away the mainmast of a ship by mere contraction. Mr. Dosed, a Belgian farmer employed in India, presented samples of the Bengal hemp, called dhuncha, to tho Agri Horticultural Society in November 1840, and stated that they had been dressed after the Belgian mode. A bigha, ho says, will yield 173 lbs. of cleaned fibre, and 921bs. of seed. A woman can dress about 4 lbs. a day. In April 1851, Captain Thomson presented a dressed sample of the fibre of tho dhuncha of Bengal, and a piece of rope made of it. This rope, ho stated, had been used in various ways for nearly two years, and, from various reports upon it, he thought it likely to coma into extensive use. In the arsenal of Fort William, a three and a half inch rope of dhunchee broke with not less than 75 cwt., though the Government proof required for such rope tvas only 49 cwt. The price of the dhuncheo in the interior has long been about Rs. 18 per maund. Dr. Boyle thought it would probably fetch from .£30 to 135 a ton, and, after being introduced and known, perhaps £5 more. It WM also valued by others at 135 in 1853.—Royle, Fib. Pl. p. 293.