NEW TEXTILE FIBRE.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17742, 19 April 1923, Page 7

NEW TEXTILE FIBRE.

Considerable interest has been arotM*! Ed in textile-manufacturing circles the advent of "arghan," a new native to South America. While tray-g----elling in that continent some years Sit llenry Wickham/- an. authority, otfj rubber-plantingj/saw.,tb.e natives mafc<s in<r extensive use of, the fibre in whsmanufacture of harness, belts, .-angX; other articles. Stimulated by jtMkshortage of all kinds of textile resulting from the Great Wdr, oiTj| Henry conceived the idea of encourage £ mg the cultivation of arghan on Brit-f ish soil. The Government of the Fea<, crated Malay Stateß. convinced of ttitf possibilities of the discovery, made- m\ grant of 30,000 acres of land for tn«g .•ultkation of the fibre; the authorial tics in India and Ceylon, also sot asidefe' I large tracts for the same P ur PWfl Thousands of specimens of the airghatt|g plant, which propagates itself by njeanss of suckers, and takes about two and/aS half years to reach maturity, were* transported from the South* America»| continent, and are now yielding »'t!heM| harvest. The plant is of the snjij apple tvpe, and its leaves split-Teauju|| into fibres five or six feet^long, v wii|S resemble silk in their are 50 per cent, stronger „ best' hemp or flax. Arghan resisbfithel action of sea water, be specially suitable for ture of fishing-nets, nnd sails: while, according<tg,MivAkf fred S. Moore, a, Who* wrote upon the subject in a recent is*i sue of "Conquest," it spins and bleaches k magnificently, takes and retains aUEJ c'ves, and makes a firm cloth.' when!, woven; alone■ or in. combination • :■.witb£ cotton'or linen yarn. , * ' —' A j