Ramie

RAMIE, or RHEA FIBRE

A very strong and durable fibre. It is grown in China, Japan, Java, India, etc. Ramie fibre is very white, has a high lustre, and can be separated into filaments as fine as silk. The ramie plant belongs to the family of Urtica (nettle) and to the sub-division Boehmeria. It contains about 25 per cent of gum and when degummed is much stronger than hemp or cotton. It can be spun with less twist than other fibres of similar length of staple. It resists damp, and when mixed with wool imparts non-shrinking properties to the resulting yarn. The fibre lengths vary from 4-in. to 72-in. It is much used for gas mantles. Ramie counts are usually in the worsted system (see China Grass). The two best fibre-yielding species are" Boehmeria tenacissima, often called the green-leaved ramie, as its leaves are entirely green; and Boehmeria nivea, often called the white-leaved ramie, as the undersides of its leaves are silvery white. The nivea species is very largely grown in China, and to a lesser degree in India and Formosa, and the tenacissima in Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Malacca, Mexico, and other tropical countries.