A NEW FIBRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 212, 1 June 1908, Page 3

A NEW FIBRE.

EQUAL TO 'BEST, MANILA.'. Mr. Charles A. White, F.R.H.S., an Australian, now managing'the Uganda Rubber and .Cocoa Estates in Central, Africa, has accidentally discovered a now fibre plant that is apparently more valuable than mai)ila. Requiring a rope one day, ho was surprised' tu-find that a nativo servant ■ had improvised one, from tho fibres of a plant with which he was well acquainted, but of tho valuable, properties of which ho had no knowledge. In the course of a letter to thoMinister for Agriculture (Mr. Perry), Mr. Wliito says, ho has known the Asceplias somilunata : (the plant referred to) to liavo a wido geographical distribution —lie has seen it growing in Western, Australia, 'South Africa, Rhodesia, German Africa, Portuguese Africa, Uganda, and in the Congo country. Nobody seemed to he aware of its great market, value. In its habits it does not object to abundant rain, and is also drought, rcsistanf;, growing on tho Equator • 6ft. in height in stony ground. By tho same mail Mr. Perry received from Mr. White a parcel of seed, and a hank of fibre. It is of fine colour, about 4ft. in length, and very tough. The fibre was submitted to a well-known firm of ropomakers. in tlie city, who, pronounced it equal to best Manila, and worth £35 a ton .in Sydney if supplied in lengths of not less than 4ft. i Each seed carries , a downy tuft, wore, silky than kapok, and this down tho African natives/ use for bedding. Mr. Perry has taken steps to have the seed tested' in Sydney and different parts of the State, to ascertain if it can bo grown successfully under New South Wales conditions. Mr. White advises that it may be sown broadcast;,'like .wheat, and he is very confident that it will- do excellently in Australian soil. • . /. This and other recent discoveries, and the hybridising work whioh Dr. Cockayne is arranging ,to do, on the New. Zealand hemp should-make great changes in the fibre,industry. ' . • .