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 0. S, INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, 
 
 HISTORICAL NOTES 
 
 CONCERNING THE 
 
 VEGETABLE FIBRES, 
 
 \ Exhibited by Severino L, da C, Leite ; 
 
 NICOLAU JT MOREIRA, M. D., 
 
 Member of the Brazilian Commission. 
 
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 IYEW YORK : 
 O Novo Mundo " Printing Office 
 
 1876. 
 
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HISTORICAL NOTES 
 
 Relating to the Vegetable Fibres exhibited at the 
 
 International Exposition, by Severino 
 
 Lonrengo da Costa Leite. 
 
 Under Official Notice No. 41 of the 22nd. of November, 
 1869, the Minister of Agriculture, Commerce and Public 
 Works sent to the Sociedade Auxiliadora da Industria 
 National, in order to consult its opinion about them, some 
 vegetable fibres which had been presented to him by Mr. 
 Severino Louren<jo da Costa Leite, residing at Sacramento 
 Pequeno, on the Doce River, Parish of S. Domingos da 
 Prata, in the Province of Minas G-eraes 
 
 The departments of Agriculture and Manufactures of the 
 Sociedade Auxiliadora da Industria National, although 
 recognising the good quality of the fibres subjected to their 
 examination, were of opinion, notwithstanding, that in order 
 to obtain any profitable results, it was necessary to study 
 the question, botanically and industrially, to learn the prob- 
 able cost of a unity of weight, of each one of the species of 
 fibres, in the exporting markets, the presumable result of 
 the quantity produced upon a well defined and well cultivat- 
 ed area and, finally, to make experiments in its elasticity, 
 resistance, etc. 
 
 Somewhat later, a remittance of the fibres prepared by 
 Mr. Leite reached England and there, not only the celebrat- 
 ed botanist John Myers, but also a prominent manufacturer 
 of Manchester, acknowledged that the qualities and adapt- 
 ability for transformation by manufacturing of the Brazil- 
 ian vegetable fibres, greatly exceeded those of hemp. The 
 information which Mr. John Myers submitted to our lega- 
 tion in London is as follows : 
 
 Kensington, May 9th, 1872. 
 I have examined with a great deal of interest the samples 
 
— 2 — 
 
 of the beautiful Brazilian fibre, which you handed me, in 
 order to see if it could substitute cotton. 
 
 Upon this point, I will already give a decided negative, 
 but, on the other hand, said material presents certain quali- 
 ties of great value, which lead me to believe that it may be 
 successfully employed in other species of textile fabrics. 
 
 To show you the reasons, on which this opinion is based, 
 it is necessary to explain that in the manufacture of fabrics, 
 three distinct classes of vegetable materials are employed. 
 1st., that which is only a down produced upon the hull of 
 seeds, such as the well known cotton, that is prefered to all 
 others on account of its softness and elasticity and of the 
 facility with which it is spun ; 2nd., materials which con- 
 sist of fibres of wood taken from the branches and leaves 
 of numerous tropical plants, such as the banana, which 
 produces the Manilla hemp, from which they make the 
 finest Indian muslins, and also the fibres extracted from the 
 leaves of the aloes species, which produce the well-known 
 Pita of Brazil, the Carua, Gravata, etc.: others from the 
 palm-leaves, as Tucum and Carnahiba, both good for ropes, 
 and the fibre from the seeds of the Cocoa, used for making 
 large ropes for vessels, and some others, which, however can- 
 not in general be woven because of the thickness and stiff- 
 ness of the fibres; 3rd., which consists of very useful fibres 
 ouly found inside the bark of trees or bushes ; of these, 
 hemp, Jute and the Rhea fibre are very much used in 
 special manufactures and it is to this class that your noble 
 Brazilian fibre, belongs. 
 
 I should explain here, that cotton owes its great value to 
 the quality of its down, which, seen through a microscope, 
 seems to be a fine membrane, ribbon shaped, with a tend- 
 ency to intertwine itself, by which its many points are 
 easily interlaced, and from which results sufficient adhesion 
 for its down to be converted into continuous, firm and fine 
 thread. If cotton did not possess this quality, it would be 
 useless, because of the shortness of the original down. 
 
 This quality, however, is peculiar to cotton, in the manu- 
 facture of which, in some parts of* the world, especially in 
 England, great numbers of special machines and enormous 
 sums of money are employed. 
 
 On the other hand, the fibres of the 2nd class are com- 
 posed of solid shreds, which are smooth, incapable of 
 division or of being separately twisted ; they owe their 
 capability of being spun, when very fine, entirely to their 
 great length, which in Manilla hemp measures 6 feet ; it 
 being an established fact, that the greater its length, the 
 
— 3 — 
 
 greater its value. Some of them are, however, sufficiently 
 fine and capable of being separated from the glutinous 
 matter, to be used in fine textiles. 
 
 Finally, the fibres of the 3rd class, generated in the inside 
 of the bark, are composed of what in botanical language are 
 termed fascicular veins, and although they are often equal 
 in length to the preceding species, their great merit con- 
 sists in being able to be divided into numerous threads, 
 which would be infinitely finer if they were not ofteu clogged 
 by resinous or other matters. The separation and divison 
 of this class of fibres depend upon different processes and 
 different machinery, which vary according to the species of 
 fibre ; thus hemp requires to be soaked, carded, combed, 
 bleached and an especial manner of spinning ; and the 
 manufactures from hemp have a greater or lesser value ac- 
 cording to the perfection of the machinery employed. 
 Among the fibres of this class, the best known in Brazil is 
 the Gruaxima, which although not equal to the Rhea fibre, 
 would be preferred to Jute, if it were possible to obtain it 
 in sufficient quantities and at a price which would attract 
 the attention of the merchant, a consideration which carries 
 us directly to the question of the probable price of your 
 fibre, as an article of commerce. 
 
 The most important points to be verified, in the first place, 
 are, if it is possible to produce the fibre in quantities suf- 
 ficiently large and for a price reasonable enough to attract 
 the attention of the manufacturer. 
 
 Supposing that these questions admitted of a favorable 
 answer, it would be necessary to send a sufficient quantity 
 of the fibre, in order to see whether it can be spun and 
 woven in a factory by the machinery now in use, or whether 
 it will require machinery especially constructed. For this 
 purpose, at least a hundred weight would be necessary for 
 each experiment. In case of a good result with the proper 
 apparatus, we would afterwards consider the question of an 
 adequate supply, which now appears quite problematical. 
 It would be impossible to rely on a supply, however 
 moderate, of plants in a wild state, as they would soon be 
 exhausted, if they were not cultivated on a large scale, and 
 the demand for them would immediately cease. 
 
 I would like very much to see a specimen of the plant 
 dried, with its leaves and flowers, as well as its fruit ; from 
 the branches sent, it is evident that it is a creeper, and I 
 can form a tolerably good idea of the family to which it 
 belongs, which leads me to doubt the possibility of its cul- 
 ture on a scale sufficiently great to furnish a prompt and 
 
_ 4 — 
 
 constant supply, all of which can be verified only by ex- 
 perience, and perhaps you can tell me if any such attempt 
 has already been made in Brazil. I should like very much 
 indeed, to obtain all the information you can furnish me in 
 regard to it. 
 
 In the meantime I will use all my efforts to make the 
 matter generally well known and to call the attention of 
 the manufacturers to it. 
 
 I have carefully examined the fibre, which seems to have 
 great capability ; it is finer, softer and I believe stronger 
 than fine flax. 
 
 A merchant of experience in fibres, to whom it was 
 shown, estimated its value, in the supposition that it could 
 be offered in large quantities, at £ 84 per ton or 9d. a lb., 
 flax being worth to-day 6d. per pound, while ordinary cot- 
 ton is worth 9 or lOd. per pound. This is certainly very 
 encouraging. 
 
 1 am, dear Sir, very truly yours, 
 
 John Myers. 
 
 To Mr. Pereira de Andrade. 
 
 London, May 13th, 1876. 
 
 I beg permission to correct a mistake which there was in 
 my communication regarding your beautiful Brazilian fibre. 
 I beg you to erase Jute 6d. per pound, substituting Flax 
 6d. per pound, Jute 2fd. a pound- 
 
 This comparatively low price of Jute, which is otherwise 
 a beautiful strong fibre is due to its not being able to with- 
 stand the influence of moisture, as it immediately decays 
 when exposed to it, a defect which makes it of little value 
 when converted into cloth. If your fibre is equal to hemp 
 in durability, when thus exposed, it will reach a much 
 greater value than that which I gave it. 
 
 I am, dear Sir, yours faithfully, 
 
 John Myers. 
 
 To Mr. Pereira de Andrade. 
 
 As will be seen, in the opinion of the English manufac- 
 turers, tfte Brazilian vegetable fibres, although of excellent 
 quality, would not meet with a demand in the European 
 markets, unless the latter were certain that the necessary 
 amount of materia prima for industrial purposes, would be 
 furnished them. 
 
 To solve this problem, and, on the other hand, to study the 
 culture of the plants, producing these species of vegetable 
 fibres, comparing the practical difficulties which might offer 
 
_ 5 — 
 
 themselves in its preparation to those of the cultivation of 
 other things, the Imperial Government deemed it proper, on 
 the proposal of His Excellency the Visconde de Bom Reti- 
 ro, to appoint a committee composed of the said gentleman, 
 as chairman, and of Drs. G-uilherme Schuch de Capanema, 
 Nicolau Joaquim Moreira and Commander Joaquim Anto- 
 nio de Azevedo, said committee to examine this branch of 
 rural economy in the very place where the discoverer had 
 Commenced to cultivate the plant" 
 
 From the thorough study to which this committee de- 
 voted itself resulted a knowledge of the nature of these 
 plants, of their easy acclimation, of the best seeds which 
 may be obtained by the simple and inexpensive home 
 culture in this instance, for these plants prosper quickly in 
 any kind of soil, even though already exhausted, and in all 
 climates. 
 
 The report of the committee is as follows : 
 
 Rio de Janeiro, Nov. 27th, 1872. 
 Honorable Sir : 
 
 The Committee appointed to examine the vegetable 
 fibres offered by Mr. Severino Louren^o da Costa Leite,has 
 the honor, in complying with the Official Notice from the 
 Minister, of last July 25th, to offer to your consideration, 
 the following result of its observations. 
 
 On examining them and the information previously given 
 to the Government, this Committee is of opinion that no- 
 thing more is necessary to add in order to show the import- 
 ance of preventing the dying in embryo of an industry so 
 promising, and which if well managed, could in a few years 
 make the plants well known among the most remarkable 
 examples of such products, by the ease with which they 
 are acclimated, and the improvement of the respective plants 
 by cultivation ; the simple and inexpensive manner of culti- 
 vating, of gathering the crop and of preparing the crude 
 material ; when flax, on the contrary requires so much 
 labor and care ; the rapidity with which the plants prosper 
 even on land already long in cultivation, as the committee 
 observed, and under the influence of any of our different 
 climates, as the discoverer assures us, are certainly encourag- 
 ing circumstances and more than sufficient to induce the 
 government, with well grounded confidence to apply the 
 means expected of it, for animating and promoting the de- 
 velopment of this new and promising industry. 
 
 It is sufficient to consider that, according to the opinion of 
 the English botanist, John Myers, the fibres contain certain 
 
— 6 — 
 
 excellent qualities, being finer, softer and offering greater 
 resistance than flax, and according to the valuation of the 
 manufacturer, also English, to whom the botanist referred, 
 they are worth £ 84 per ton or 9d. per pound, that is, 3d. 
 more than flax and as much or nearly a«s much as ordinary 
 cotton, the current price of which at the time was 9 to lOd. 
 per pound. • 
 
 Besides this, by the experiments made uuder the immediate 
 observation of one of the members of the committee, Dr. 
 Gruilherme S. de Capanema, it was proved that one of the 
 fibres, that of the lacteal vine, presented by the discoverer, 
 really offers a far greater resistance and elasticity than flax 
 and the fibre of the other plant also presented by the same 
 gentleman, fully as much. 
 
 To these advantages must be added that the propagation 
 of the plants from which the fibres subjected to our invest- 
 igation were extracted, may be easily effected by means of 
 cuttings ; and, as for the lacteal vine, the committee saw it 
 flourishing and developing itself perfectly among mango 
 and other trees, interlacing its limbs and branches without 
 injuring them in any manner. 
 
 From this results the not insignificant convenience which 
 farmers and landowners may have, of cultivating these plants 
 in their extensive and virgin forests, among the enormous 
 trees, and, in this manner, derive great profits, preserving at 
 the same time the valuable timber, without the sad necessity 
 of destroying and injuring the soil by the application of fire, 
 which must perhaps be done for other and less lucrative 
 crops, that also require more attention and labor. In con- 
 sequence of all this, this committee is of opinion that the 
 discoverer of these fibres, who has cultivated for so long a 
 time the respective plants, devoting himself to this object 
 with perseverance and successive experiments, is worthy of 
 the benevolence of the powers of State, and of the favors 
 for which he hopes and which his state of poverty render so 
 necessary. Upon this point, however, this commttee begs 
 leave to suggest in all due respect, that in its opinion, it is 
 not by any means advisable to grant an exclusive privilege. 
 On the contrary, it is of opinion that this new industry 
 should be made as general as possible, by putting it in the 
 power of the greatest possible number of cultivators who 
 may wish to develop and perfect the same. 
 
 This would be the most certain means of establishing its 
 general use in the shortest time, if, as may be hoped, the 
 culture should practically yeild the profits, "which are rea- 
 sonably probable. For this to be realized, it is, however, 
 
— 7 — 
 
 indispensable that the introducer of the culture should be 
 provided with the necessary means to commence immedia- 
 tely to extend the small plantation which he already has, 
 and to develop it in a few years as much as it is possible for 
 him to do. 
 
 Above all it seems advisable to exact of him, in view of 
 what the English botanist John Myers appropriately sug- 
 gested in his report, that some tons of the fibres exhibited 
 in Manchester be immediately gathered, prepared and sent 
 there, as the same botanist recommended, in order to deter- 
 mine if they can be spun and woven by the machinery now 
 in use or if they require machinery of especial construction. 
 
 This precaution, is without doubt, of the greatest advantage 
 in the study of the manner of manufacturing the product, 
 and at the same time, of better observing what may occur in 
 relation to the different uses to which it is put, thus prepar- 
 ing in advance a proper and certain market in Europe. 
 
 But this Mr. Leite is unable to do, as he has ofteu declar- 
 ed, for want of means, and it is indispensable that he be at 
 once aided with the necessary amount for the expenses of 
 the working force which he will have to emplcy in the 
 gathering and extracting the fibres, as well as those incur- 
 red for his subsistence and that of his family which he will 
 be obliged to leave, when he goes to the woods, where he 
 must remain the necessary length of time. 
 
 In the second place, he should be bound to extend the 
 cultivation on a scale necessary to ensure a good exportation 
 of the best fibres, by the end of the first two years from the 
 date of the contract, which he will have to sign. 
 
 Without the certainty of cultivation on a large scale, the 
 information received from England declares that a sure 
 market can not be relied upon. To attain this object Mr. Leite 
 will immediately require some lands, and in case he should not 
 find any one who may grant him such, he will be obliged to 
 buy them, if the Government has none or cannot furnish them. 
 
 Having obtained the land, he will require laborers in a 
 sufficient number, perhaps not less than 16 or 20 men, and 
 besides, to care for their subsistence and for that of his fa- 
 mily. It is consequently necessary to bear this circum- 
 stance also in view. 
 
 Besides this, it is advisable to bind Mr. Leite to make 
 known which are the plants from which he extracts the 
 fibres, the places where they are found, the manner and 
 proper time to extract them, and, finally, to instruct those 
 who may wish to attempt the new industry, in everything 
 that may be necessary for this object, submitting to the 
 
— 8 — 
 
 instructions which the Government may issue, in the faith- 
 ful execution of his contract, under a monthly subsidy, which 
 will enable him to pay all expenses and permit him to devote 
 himself exclusively to this purpose during a certain number 
 of years, never less than four. 
 
 At the end of such time,let him be entitled to a pecuniary 
 reward corresponding to the results obtained. 
 
 If the latter are such as may be confidently expected, the 
 empire gaining thereby still another source of income in its 
 exports, he will deserve, without any doubt, such a reward; 
 and the example will serve to animate others to dedicate 
 themselves to the investigation of this and other products, 
 which is so much needed in all the natural kingdoms in the 
 vast regions which Brazil possesses, so rich in natural pro- 
 ducts in the larger part,but which are still neglected and even 
 ignored. 
 
 We have the honor to be Your Excelleency's most Obi. 
 and Humble Servants. 
 
 Viscount de Bom Retiro, 
 
 Chairman. 
 gruilherme s. de capanema. 
 nlcolao joaquim moreira. 
 Joaquim Antonio de Azevedo. 
 
 To His Excellency Councillor Francisco do Bego Barros 
 Barreto, Minister and Secretary of State for Affairs of 
 Agriculture, Commerce and Public Works. 
 
 Ezamination of the vegetable fibres presented by Severino 
 Lourengo da Costa Leite. 
 
 The textile fibres presented to the Committee by Severino 
 Lourenco da Costa Leite, were three in number, and were 
 extracted : 1st., from a lacteal vine; 2nd., from a vine of 
 malpighiacea ; 3rd. from a palmtree. 
 
 Besides the latter, there were some filamentary products 
 from the inner bark of several trees. As to the first, the 
 Committee went to the place where some vines that pro- 
 du ce it were cultivated and saw them growing luxuriantly, 
 without any previous preparation of the soil; and some of 
 the plants, though still young, had reached a length above 
 eight metres and the aiea occupied by each one was about 
 one square metre. 
 
 Mr. Leite declared that young plants yield 16 grammes 
 to each foot, and full grown ones as much as 80, or, in the 
 least favorable instance, 160 kilogrammes per hectare ; ad- 
 mitting the value of flax to be 700 reis per kilogramme, as 
 
— 9 — " 
 
 Mr. Myers gives it, this quantity represents an income of 
 112 mil reis, with exchange at par, in the English markets. 
 
 A quantity of the fibres were extracted by the discoverer, 
 in the presence of the committee, by an entirely rudimental 
 process, which however was sufficient to demonstrate : 1st., 
 that the manipulation is very easy and may be performed 
 by simple machinery ; 2nd., that the fibre when extracted 
 is in a state of purity and perfectly white, without requiring 
 the application of chemical agents, more or less deleterious ; 
 3rd. that immediately after cutting, the vine, being submit- 
 ted to an ingenious preparation, an invention of Mr. Leite, 
 the fibres may and indeed should be at once extracted. 
 
 All the process of preparation is reduced to manipulations 
 which require very little more labor than is required to gather 
 ^in, and card cotton; in this respect the fibre of the lacteal 
 eine presents a great superiority over flax. 
 
 It remains to prove whether it will admit of an advanta- 
 geous comparison with flax, in point of tenacity. 
 
 For this purpose, direct experiments were instituted to 
 determine the resistance to rupture of the elementary fila- 
 ments that enter into the composition of the fibre, which 
 is only a little bundle of filaments. This experiment was 
 made in the following manner : a fibre of 2cm. in length was 
 fastened at each end between two small vises, the upper 
 one securely attached to a firm beam and the lower fitted to 
 a scale for receiving weights, and the effects of the distention 
 produced by the weights, were observed at a distance of 8 
 metres, through a telescope, magnifying 20 times. The 
 vertical movement of the telescope was measured by a mi- 
 crometre that permitted the reading of 1/2000 of a millimetre. 
 
 The distension was always observed at the addition of 
 two grammes to the weights, until the fibre broke. 
 
 The annexed table gives the comparative results of the 
 experiments with the different fibres; the first column shows 
 the weight in succession which each fibre supported, it 
 being necessary to add 1£ grammes-weight of the scale and 
 vise which suspended it. The second and the third columns 
 show the distension given by the difference in the two pre- 
 ceding observations. In the first experiment it was neces- 
 sary to empty the scale at every successive 20 grammes, in 
 order to substitute single weights ; in the second, this ope- 
 ration was performed only at every 40 grammes. 
 
 The second series of experiments was made with a quan- 
 tity of the fibre, somewhat soiled and but slightly coherent, 
 which was described as having been exposed to the sun and 
 rain on a rock for four months ; it was submitted to an ex- 
 
• — 10 — 
 
 periment to show its state of preservation, and as it was a 
 
 little scattered, it was necessary to employ a shorter one. 
 
 The experiment could not be concluded for with a weight 
 
 of 68 grammes the fibre slipped and fell out of the apparatus. 
 
 The specimen of flax used in the comparative experiment, 
 
 had been lately cultivated in Rio Grande do Sul and was 
 
 still raw, not yet having been exposed to the bleaching 
 
 process ; it was consequently in its best state of resistance. 
 
 Passing ou to compare the results of the experiments, it 
 
 is evident that each elementary filament of which the fibre 
 
 is composed, presents a very different degree of resistance, 
 
 according to the nature of the vegetable substance and in 
 
 following proportion. 
 
 Young lacteal fibre 14.6 oq 
 
 Old lacteal fibre 9.4 nag 
 
 Fibre of malpighiacea 5.4 cs £ 
 
 Raw flax fibre 5.3 p" 
 
 From this we conclude that the fibre of the vine pres- 
 ented by Mr. Leite is nearly three times stronger than flax; 
 even after being used it seems to lose very little of its 
 strength. The fibre of the Malpighiacea which Mr. Leite 
 designated as a species of hemp is as strong as flax, but one 
 circumstance must be considered, which is, that two of the 
 filaments composing the fibre under experiment were thin- 
 ned out to fineness and terminated in a point; they were the 
 ends of the filaments and therefore do not represent the in- 
 tegral strength. 
 
 As to the elasticity which must also be considered, in 
 treating of materials for spinning and weaving, it is seen that 
 at the moment before breaking, the percentage of its length 
 amounts to the following: 
 
 Lacteal fibre 3.70 p. c. 
 
 Fibre of Melpighiacea . 1.90 " 
 
 Flaxfibre 1.00 " 
 
 Comparing the elasticity under the immediate weight to 
 that which broke the flax fibre (32 grammes), we have. 
 
 Flax fibre 1 .00 p. c. 
 
 New lacteal fibre 1.10 ll 
 
 Old lacteal fibre 1.60 " 
 
 . Fibre of Malpighiacea " 1.80 " 
 
 Of the two lacteal fibres under the weight of 66 grammes, 
 at which it was necessary to stop the second experiment,the 
 elasticity was for 
 
 New fibre 2.40 p. c. 
 
 Oldfibre 1.70 " 
 
— 11 — 
 
 Whence we see that the used or old fibre had gained 
 some elasticity. 
 
 We proceeded to examine the structure of the fibres com- 
 pared, as represented in the drawings of them in the an- 
 nexed pages under Nos. I, II, III, giving the appearance 
 they make under the microscope magnified 300 times in 
 diameter. 
 
 It is seen that the fibres used in the experiment were of 
 the following diameter: 
 
 m/m. 
 
 Flax - 0126 
 
 Lacteal fibre 0'063 
 
 Fibre of Malpighiacea 0'056 
 
 The filaments that compose the fibre vary considerably. 
 
 Of the lacteal fibre 0'013 to 0'026 
 
 Of the flax. O'OIO to 0'013 
 
 Of the fibre of Malpighiacea O'OIO 
 
 The flax fibre appears to have a greater diameter from 
 its being some what flattened whilst the others are round- 
 ing. 
 
 All'of them prove considerable coherence in the old lacteal 
 fibre which shows the filaments entirely separated and clean, 
 whilst the new shows some adherent granules mostly knot- 
 ted or intertwined. 
 
 The flax filaments are found to be covered with strongly 
 adherent granules so as to form a crust, as is seen in Tab. II 
 fig. 1, and fig. 2 and B. 
 
 The filaments of the Malpighiacea fibre are clean as seen 
 in Tab. III. 
 
 The filaments of the flax and Malpighiacea have thick 
 walls with a narrow lumina. Tab. II fig. 2 B. and Tab. 
 Ill fig. 3. 
 
 Those of the new lacteal fibre scarcely leave the lumina 
 perceptible by a narrow dark streak, Tab. I fig. 2 and B., 
 whilst in the old lacteal fibre it appears more empty, Tab. 
 I, fig. 5. 
 
 The lacteal fibre is continuous, very rarely attenuated, and 
 many of its filaments have spiral irregularities and some- 
 times in two ways, so that its surface appears covered with 
 a net whose meshes are elongated rhombs. This irregula- 
 rity may perhaps contribute to give greater coherence to 
 the threads produced from this fibre, but it is also probable 
 it will be overcome in the spinning, because it was not ob- 
 served except in the fibres taken from the plant without 
 having had to support any weight. 
 
— 12 — 
 
 The fibres of flax and Malpighiacea are composed of 
 shorter filaments which become finer towards the points and 
 overlap (Tab. II fig. 2, and Tab. Ill fig. 4), which must 
 diminish their strength. 
 
 As to breaking, it is very irregular in flax, Tab. II fig. 
 3; it seems to show the existence of weak points in different 
 parts whilst in the fibres of the Malpighiacea, Tab. Ill 
 fig. 3 and 4, — it is transversal and in only one place ; fig. 3 
 and 4 represent in the breaking, a tendency to ravel, in 
 fig. 3 we can see the spiral irregularity above mentioned, and 
 which is undoubtedly an indication of a very peculiar con- 
 struction of the filaments which explaias its great strength 
 and considerable elasticity. 
 
 Some of the lacteal fibres of the plant present to the naked 
 eye, at short intervals, ends more distinct and more imbed- 
 ded, with the appearance of knots ; from this a weakening 
 might result but it does not prove to be so, for when exam- 
 ined with the microscope, these points are found to be folds 
 or kinks of all the filaments of the fibre without interrup- 
 tion of their continuity as is seen in Tab. I fig. 7. The 
 fibre of the Malpighiacea presents similar phenomena. 
 Among the lacteal fibres which constitute the middle bark 
 and contained in the woven layer, are found flat strips 
 similar to cotton, Tab. I fig. 6. 
 
 It is necessary to observe that the milky juice conveyed 
 by these fibres coagulates, producing a white substance, 
 more brittle than elastic, with the properties of resin and 
 not of India rubber or Grutta-percha, as in many others, even 
 of the same family. 
 
 From the above it is evident that the fibre of the lacteal 
 plant presented by Mr. Severino Louren^o da Costa Leite, 
 shows: 1st, strength and elasticity in a much higher degree 
 than flax; 2nd, that these properties are due to a special 
 texture ; 3rd, that its preparation and culture are easy and 
 must therefore be very lucrative. 
 
 As to Malpighiacea, it compares advantageously with 
 flax. Its cultivation is easy; and the production of the fibre 
 depends upon an operation envolving little labor and which 
 facilitates the gathering of the crop and is an invention of 
 Mr. Leite. 
 
 In regard to other preparations, either from the palm trees 
 or from various others, special studies have not been made. 
 But it is worthy of mention in regard to these trees that 
 not only can the filamentous middle bark bo applied to in- 
 dustry but also the very wood itself can be used instead of 
 
— 13 — 
 
 rags in the manufacture of paper, and this with great 
 advantage. 
 
 Viscount of Bom Retiro, 
 
 Chairman. 
 
 GUILHERME S. CAPANEMA. 
 NlCOLAU JOAQUIM MOREIRA. 
 
 At the National Exposition which took place in Eio 
 Janeiro in 1873 the vegetable fibres, prepared by Mr. Sev- 
 erino Leite, made a brilliant figure and being afterwards 
 sent to the international Exposition of Vienna they won there 
 the attention of the Belgian and English industry which 
 subjected them to various experiments and prepared from 
 them different fabrics. There are now exhibited in the 
 Palace of the Exposition these fibres, already known, 
 acompanied by various other species, in regard. to which 
 the eminent and able Dr. Jose Saldanha da Gama expresses 
 himself in the following manner : 
 
 ' ' Gold is that which is worth gold, we said to Mr. Leite, 
 when we had finished examining the textile products from 
 the Province of Minas Geraes, exhibited by him. One of 
 these deserves preference in any treatise relating to ex- 
 tractive industry; it will be the subject of many exclama- 
 tions at Philadelphia and later on, of much demand, then of 
 extensive introduction. In our humble opinion the exceed- 
 ingly rich and highly important collection of the indefatig- 
 able native of Minas Geraes is one of the glories of the pre- 
 sent exposition. 
 
 Seven qualities, of which six are specifically different, are 
 the only cause of the murmur that is heard at times in the hall 
 for the products of Minas Geraes. There was given to us a 
 little specimen of each species for study ; we ascertained the 
 existence of a reaction of the isolated fibres and the results 
 obtained by us will be herein enclosed, expressing the ap- 
 proximate values. 
 
 First---Th.e lacteal vine possesses all the characteristics 
 of the true asclepiadacea (however much we might wish to 
 call it ortiga! ). The crude filaments as well as the carded 
 threads are of an admirable whiteness and of unusual tena- 
 city. This useful vine grows spontaneously on the Doce 
 river in the District of Santa Barbara in the province of 
 Minas Geraes, and now through well understood culture, the 
 province of Rio Janeiro possesses a large number of plants 
 of this species. 
 
 The soil does not delay after receiving into its fertile 
 bosom the seeds of this highly useful vine ; at the end of two 
 
— 14 — 
 
 years the farmer gathers lateral fibres and sprouts, passing 
 them through the hackles in the interior of a special ma- 
 chine. If on an acre of land the crop is enlarged to 120,000 
 plants of the lacteal vines, according 'to the teachings of 
 experience and if each one produces thirty grammes of 
 bark fibres from its respective cortex, it follows that from 
 one acre of land the yeild of the textile material must be 
 computed at 3,000,000 grammes The farmer loses on each 
 vine scarcely 25 p. c. of threads which is nothing, compar- 
 ing this disadvantage with the results of the crop. 
 
 The vines grow to 100 feet in height, entwining them- 
 selves around the trunks of the trees on the Doce river. 
 
 With the aid of a lens and a fine needle we are certain of 
 having completely separated the threads whose tenacity we 
 can represent by the following figures : 
 
 The first experiment gave us 140 grammes for the 
 maximum in the spinning ; the second, 150 and three more 
 experiments resulted the same way which brings us to the 
 conviction of a rare fact in regard to the strength of fibres 
 of vegetable origin. In the meantime these statistics will 
 serve to confirm the judgement formed in Belgium about 
 the unquestionable value of this precious vine ; handker- 
 chiefs and other small articles have been manufactured 
 there and the experiments crowned with the most brilliant 
 results. In England they have also subjected it to a series 
 of experiments so far as to be able to estimate the high 
 price of the fabrics. 
 
 What is wanting for the extension of this immense pro- 
 duct of the Brazilian soil ? 
 
 It is necessary that the government should entertain the 
 idea of sending some one to the United States with many 
 bales of the textile substance of the lacteal fvine for the 
 purpose of taking advantage of the concurrence at Philadel- 
 phia, aud transforming it into beautiful fabrics in the Am- 
 erican factories, and then to exhibit them to the entire 
 world. There, it will be said among other things that, the 
 fibre of the vine asclepiadacea exposed during four months 
 day and night, to the inclemency of the weather lost not 
 even a single gramme from the figures denoting its strength. 
 
 Second. A palm-tree, whose name is unknown, grow- 
 ing on the Doce river, in the District of Santa Barbara, 
 furnished a motive for the exercise of the activity of the in- 
 defatigable exhibitor. From the leaves and petals there 
 came filaments which seen in a mass, have the appearance 
 of wool. Separating them with extreme care we found 
 their value in strength to be 
 
— 15 — 
 
 In the first experiment, 50 grammes ; in the 2d., 45; in 
 the 3d., 59 ; in the 4th., 22 and in the 5th., 30. Average 
 value about 40 grammes. Factories should be considered 
 fortunate to be able to count it in their treasury of materias 
 primas. 
 
 Third. Now in regard to the appearance of two pro- 
 ducts of one and the same palm-tree, Iriuba, Iri or Bra- 
 jauva. On one side we appreciate the beautiful specimen 
 of fibres taken from the yellowish colored leaves, in every 
 respect similar in appearance to the wool of the Tucum of 
 Brazil. This seems to be the true vegetable wool, more so, 
 than the preceeiing ; if tried in the weaving machines it is 
 certain the effects would not be negative. There are the 
 details of the experiments : 1st., 59 grams.; 2d., 40 ; 3d., 50; 
 4th., 40; 5th., 38. Average about 43 grammes.. 
 
 Fourth. On the other hands specimens are seen, whita 
 and light, formed in the intervals of the joints of narrow 
 lamina or stalk in the language of the exhibitor ; it is suf- 
 ficient to run a steel blade or one of thin wood between the 
 straws of the plant for the immediate appearance of the 
 light fibres, different in color and aspect, yet the product of 
 the same palm-tree, Iriuba. We. have then the two qualities 
 of fibres from one and the same species, the last being more 
 tenacious as seen from the following experiments : 
 
 1st. experiment, 45 grammes ; 2nd., 40; 3rd., 40 ; 4th., 
 60; 5th., 60. Average: 49 grammes. 
 
 Fifth. — There is mi the Doce river a celebrated tree, 
 commonly called "wild fig" a species of the gamelleira (Fi- 
 cus) whose milk contains India Rubber and whose bark is 
 worthy of notice. The trunk leaves or stalk leaves although 
 they cannot be separated into distinct fibres, nevertheless 
 offer an interest not less industrial. By soaking them the 
 leaves come out whole; when introduced between iron 
 cylinders iu consequence of the compression suffered they be- 
 come' very thin, yet preserving a remarkable width and 
 length. In this condition, to say nothing of their being 
 objects of curiosity, of innovation or pauperism, it is pos- 
 sible to transform them into thick garments for country- 
 laborers or for any other workmen. But what it is well 
 to affirm here, is its acceptance in Belguim. The primitive 
 paper of the fig tree of Minas G-eraes was formed into fine 
 •writing paper. ■ Without further preparation letters aud 
 official documents are written on the precious bark of the 
 rich tree of the Doce river. Mr. Severino Leite declares 
 that he has taken from one tree 275 covados (206 yards) 
 of bark sheets of three fourths of a yard in width. 
 
— 16 — 
 
 A new mine for industry. — This fig tree is propagated 
 easily by cuttings, owing to the rapid development of the 
 adventitious roots. 
 
 Sixth. — Let the visitor pause before the red vine (Mal- 
 pighiacea) red, that is, the color impregnated in the fibre 
 by the natural dye of the vine as the process of extraction 
 proceeds. 
 
 It grows in the dry land, climbs up the trees or trails on 
 the ground : it produces a quantity of gum ; the yield in 
 fibres is copious ; the experiment show that the cords do 
 not break for want of tenacity : 1st., 50 grams.; 2d., 45 ; 
 3d., 50 ; 4th., 42 ; 5th., 15. Approximate average, 16 grams. 
 
 Seventh. — Finally cipo preto, or black vine, which will 
 attract the attention of the public, from the appearance of 
 twisted thread, owes its accidental black color to the dye of 
 the same plant, which dyes the shreds when drawing out 
 the cortical fibres. This vine is found in the swampy parts 
 of the province of Minas Greraes, comprehending a vast 
 area of vegetation. Is it also a Malpighiacea ? Its resist- 
 ance is as follows : 1st. experiment, 40 grams; 2nd., 37; 
 3rd., 40; 4th., 35 ; 5th., 45. Average, 39 grammes. 
 
 Comparing the averages of the 6 fibres the reader can 
 estimate the strength of the lacteal vine, mentioned in the 
 first place. 
 
 This part of our studies being concluded, we will repeat an 
 idea already sugg?>: + ed sometime ago by a person capable of 
 judging: the richest and most beautiful show case which per- 
 haps can be constructed in the workshops of Rio Janeiro, 
 should be destined for the textile fibres of Mr. Leite. In 
 Rio Janeiro or in Philadelphia, the men versed in these 
 matters will place in a conspicuous position the distich : 
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 New York, March, 1876. 
 
 Dr. Nicolau J. Moreira. 
 
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