Tropical Fibres; their Production and Economic Extraction. By E. G.
Squier. (Madden.)-Mr. Squier is an American gentleman who, having resided for some time in tropical America, has formed the opinion that the fibres of many plants which grow in that region are eminently suited for textile purposes. The only drawback to their employment for this object has, he says, been the want of any efficient means for ex- tracting and preparing the fibre ; and now that this difficulty has been removed by the invention of an American machine for that purpose, ho thinks that the time has come for him to communicate what informa- tion he has picked up on the subject. The plants which ho enumerates belong to the agave, pine-apple, plantain, lily, palm, and screw-pine families, and he states that their fibres are adapted for the manufacture not only of the strongest cordage, but also of the finest cambric. Mr. Squier's information is somewhat meagre, and does not come to much ; but it is very probable that some of the products which ho mentions might repay further examination.
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