The fibres are coarse, stiff, and very elastic, round, smooth, and very clean, like hair. Their tenacity is remarkable. Their dimensions are—length, max., in. ; min., 0.0157 in. ; mean, in.; diameter, max., in. ; min., 0.0047 in. Samples of the fibre exposed for 2 hours to steam at 2 atmos., boiled in water for 3 hours, and again steamed for 4 hours, lost 8.13 per cent. by weight, as compared with Manilla hemp, 6.07 ; Phormium, ; Italian hemp, 6.18 ; Russian hemp, 8.44. In Dr. Wight's experiments, coir cordage broke at 224 lb. Though not superlatively strong, the elasticity of the fibre, and the capacity it exhibits of withstanding the action of seawater, render it valuable for cordage purposes, to which it is widely applied locally, besides being less extensively imported-into this country for a similar use. The adaptation of the fibre to textile fabrics is much impaired by the difficulty of spinning it into yarn. The native-dressed fibre is quite unfit for such an application, and only a small proportion of the machine-dressed can be so used. The yarn is now largely consumed for making press-bags, used in candle-making, oil-refining, sugar-making, and other mannfactures, and also for mats and matting. These latter are being extensively made by the Oriental Fibre Mat and Matting Co., Highworth, Wilts. Improved machinery for making figured fabrics from coir has been recently patented by W. J. Sly and T. Wilson, of Lancaster. The fibre not suited for ropes or textiles is utilized for brush-making, as well as for stuffing purposes. It would doubtless be useful in paper-making, being described as applicable to the production of all kinds of white paper for which esparto is used.
The shipments of this fibre from India were :—in 1876, 111,476 cwt. ; 1877, 176,684 cwt.; 1878, 141,024 cwt. Hankow;in 1878, exported more than 3000 piculs (of 133i lb.); Kiungchow shipped 379 piculs in 1877, and 889 in 1878. The coir produced at Zanzibar is said to be very fine, and much admired at Calcutta, but it is little utilized. The plantations in Jamaica have not yet commenced to export. The approximate market values of the fibre and yarn are as follows : Fibre—Cochin, good to fine, 191.-251. a ton ; coarse, 16/. 108.-191. 158. Yarn—good to fine, 26/. 10s.-46/. a ton ; medium, 211. 5s.- 28/. 10s.; common, 141.-221. 10s. ; roping, 181.-241.
Oopernicia cerifera—Carnauba palm.—Endogen. A native of Brazil, and recommended for culture in Victoria, especially along the Murray River. It resists drought in a remarkable degree, and thrives on somewhat saline soil. The fibres of the leaves are converted into rope, which resists decay in water ; they are also used for mats, hats, baskets, brooms, &c. The tree is, perhaps, more valuable for the wax it yields (see Wax—Carnauba).
Corchorus sp. div.—Jute (FR., Mauve des juifs, Corete textile; GER., Jute ; BENG., and N.W. PROT., Pat ; ORIssA, Kowria, Ncilitci ; BERM., Phetwoon).—Exogen ; annual, 5-10 ft. Several species of Corchorus are said to yield jute ;—C. capsularis, C. olitorius, C. acutangulus (fuscus), C. fascicularis, C. trilocularis. Of these, only the two first are cultivated for their fibre ; though botanically distinct, no difference can be discovered in the commercial qualities of their respec tive fibres, and they are universally grown as one plant ; they will be treated of collectively in this article. The remaining species are not cultivated, though they yield valuable fibres, and grow in wild abundance in some districts ; they will receive no further consideration here.
Jute is essentially an Indian fibre, and it is in India only that it is produced in any quantity, though attempts are being made to naturalize it in America. At present, Bengal almost mono polizes the culture of the plant. In most districts of Lower Bengal, both C. capsularis and C. olitorius are grown ; in the central, and some of the eastern, districts, the former predominates ; while in the localitiea near Calcutta, the latter is more largely cultivated, and affords the well-known Luckhi pore jute. Generally speaking, jute is extensively cultivated in the districts of Pubna, Dinagepore, Rungpore, Mymensing, Tipperah, Purneah, Julpigoree, Bogra, Dacca, Hooghly, and the 24-Per gunnahs; moderately in Cooch Behar, Furreedpore, Goalparah, Rajshahye, and Backergunge; scantily in Midnapore, Burdwan, Nuddea, Moorshedabad, Maldah, Howrah, Tirhoot, and Bhaugul pore ; and, in the Sunderbuns, Durrung, Nowgong, Seebsaugor, the Sonthal Pergunnahs, Maun bhoom, Singbhoom, and Cachar, whatever is grown is locally consumed, and the produce in some cases is insufficient. The future prospects of the cultivation may be judged of by the following facts. The present producing districts of Bengal comprise over 22 million acres of arable land, of which only about 1 million are under jute, so that should the demand be doubled, the culture would only absorb about nth of the arable land. This does not include the vast extent of reclaimable waste land. Many districts where the plant is now scantily grown offer opportunities for greatly increased operations. This is specially the case with the alluvial soil of the Damoodar and Dalki shore, in Burd wan ; the eastern portion of Beerbboom ; Bancoorah ; the deep alluvium of the Bar Mehals, in Midnapore; the Bongong and Ranaghat sub-divisions of Nuddea ; the large old churs in the eastern districts; the fine dedrds in the Ganges ; the banks of the Kumar, Nobogonga, and Gorai or Modhoomati, in Jessore ; the Gurjat estates, in Orissa ; and the vast unreel:timed lands in the Sunderbuns. The province of Assam offers another wide field, as the districts of Nowgong, Hamroop, Durrung, Seebsaugor and Luckhimpore. The same may be said of the Garo Hills, Naga Hills, Khasi Hills, and Jynteah Hills, of Cachar, of the Hill Tracts of Chittagong, and of Hill Tipperah, as well as of many parte of Chota Nagpore. Leaving the Bengal Provinces, there are immense tracts of suitable rich land, now lying waste, in the Central Provinces. Throughout British Burma, the plants grow wild, and their cultivation might be developed to almost any extent. Tho Terai at the foot of the Kumaon Hills, in the North-west Provinces, appears to be a suitable field. In the plains of the Punjab, both species flourish io a wild state, and might be very widely grown. The cultivation of both species is also carried on in Bombay, and might be increased. Madras pro duces the plant in the northern districts, from Gunter in the Krista district, to Ganjam, but cannot yet supply its own needs. Two qualities of jute aregrown in China ; a coarse kind, principally in Sanhevi, near Canton ; and a finer kind, raised in the Hankow districts. China, however, imports jute from India, in increasing quantity every year. Serious competition may be apprehended from some of the S. States of America ; on the rich lands of Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, S. Carolina, Texas, and Mississippi, jute threatens to displace cotton, affording heavier crops, at less cost. Tho plant is recommended for culture in Victoria.