CHINA GRASS, or China Flax.
Bcehmeria nivea, Gaud. I Urtica tenapissima, Roxb. Urtica nivea, Linn.
Rheea, . . . ASSAM. Tali rami, 11G., MALAY.
Inan Bonoa, . . „ Lepeeah, . '`. . NEPAL.
Gambe, . KksT CELEBES. Kankura . RUNGPORE.
Chu-ma, Chu, . CHIN. Pan, . . . . SHAN.
Karao, Tsjo, Mao, . JAP. Kaloi, Kaliivee, SUMATRA. . BENG., MALAy.
This nettle grows in all the moist countries from Bengal, through Rungpore, Assam, into China, and southward all through the Malay Peninsula into Sumatra, Java, and Celebes. In Bengal and Assam its fibre has only been used for string and ropes by the fishermen and by the Dom race of Assam ; but in China, where it has long been woven into the China grass cloth, it is carefully cultivated, and great care is also taken in the process of cutting down, scraping, peeling, steeping, and bleaching the fibre. These, indeed, are detailed minutely in the Imperial Treatise of Chinese Agriculture, lib. lxxviii. fol. 3. When grown from seed, a sandy soil is preferred ; the ground is repeatedly dug, formed into beds a foot broad and four feet long, raked and smoothed and watered, again raked and again smoothed, and a pint of seed, mixed with four pints of earth, is scattered on the surface of six or seven beds, and left uncovered in. They are sheltered from the sun by a canopy of matting or grass, which is kept damp, and this shelter is retained till the plants be an inch or two high. The young plants are then to be transferred into a stiffer soil, which is afterwards repeatedly hoed, and top-dressings of fresh horse dung, ass, or cow dung can be used. This process is adopted only where the roots of old plants are not obtainable. The plant grows best from shoots or layers. Dr. Boyle (Fib. Pl. p. 344) gives the following as the Indo Chinese method for preparing the rheea fibre, as adopted in Upper Assam by Major Hannay:— To cut the Rheea.—The rheea is fit for cutting when the stems become of a brown colour for about six inches upwards from the root. Hold the top of the stalk in the left hand, and with the right hand strip off the leaves by passing it quickly down to the root, and cut off with a sharp knife, taking care to be above the hairy networks of the roots, as these should be covered up with manure immediately, to ensure another crop quickly ; lop off the tender top to the stalk, and make the reeds up into bundles of 200 or 250 if the stripping process is not to be carried on in the field or garden ; but it is best to strip off the bark and fibre on the spot, as the burnt ashes of the stem afford a good dressing for the roots, along with dry cow-dung.
To strip off the Bark and Fibre.—The operator holds the stalk in both bands nearly in the middle, and, pressing the forefinger and thumb of both hands firmly, gives it a peculiar twist, by which the inner pith is broken through, and then, pass ing the fingers of his right and left hand rapidly alternately towards each end, the bark and fibre is completely separated from the stalk in two strands.
3faking up into Bundles.—The strands of bark and fibre are now made up into bundles of con venient size, tied at the smaller end with a shred of fibre, and put into clean water for a few hours, which, he thinks, deprives the plant of its tannin or colouring matter, the water becoming quite red in a short time.
Cleaning Process is as follows :—The bundles are put on a hook fastened in a post by means of the tie at the smaller end, at a convenient height for the operator, who takes each sfand separately of the larger end in his left hand, passes the thumb of his right hand quickly along the inner side, by which operation the outer bark is com pletely separated from the fibre, and the riband of fibro is then thoroughly cleaned by two or three scrapings with a small knife. This com pletes the operation,—with some loss, however, say one-fifth,—and if quickly dried in the sun. it might at once bo made up for exportation. But the appearance of the fibre is much improved by exposure (immediately after cleaning) on the grass to a night's heavy dew in September or October, or a shower of rain during the rainy season. After drying, the colour improves, and there is no risk from mildew on the voyage home wards (Royle, Fib. Pl. p. 344). The French have been growing Chinn grass in small quantities ever since 1844, in which year a packet of China grass seed was sent home by M. Leclancher, surgeon to the war corvette La Favorite. The Rouen Chamber of Commerce reported that China grass fibre has an affinity for colouring matters at least equal, if not superior, to that of the very finest kiuds of cotton. The plant will flourish north of Paris, and even in Belgium. Mr. Gray's process was said to produce China grass fibres almost as strong as so much silk, quite as free and =en tangled as the fibres of the most perfect samples of cotton-wool, and capable of being spun into as delicate a yarn as ever was produced from the very best Sea Island cotton. It possesses a lustre far exceeding that of cotton, greatly in excess of that of native Indian grass cloth. His process was said to be practicable on any scale, and also to jute, hemp, New Zealand flax, and various other plants. Lord Mayo directed much atten tion to this fibre, which is said to bring prices of £60 to £120 a ton. But such prices could only be obtainable for well-prepared fibre of the finest quality. It is said to be procurable at Ningpo at £20 the ton.—Roxli. iii. 590 ; Boyle, Fib. Pl.