Realizou-se um experimento de irrigação e adubação de rami em latossolo roxo, no Centro Experimental de Campinas, SP, de 1956 a 1961. Os tratamentos consistiram em parcelas com e sem irrigaçâo, recebendo ou não adubação completa anualmente. Efetuaram-se as irrigações quando consumidos de 60 a 70% da água disponível nos primeiros 50cm do perfil do solo (cerca de 0,3 MPa). A irrigação trouxe um aumento médio de 175% na produtividade dos tratamentos adubados e nâo-adubados quando comparados à testemunha. Embora menores, a adubação também trouxe incrementos adicionais de produção. Em conjunto, ambas elevaram 212% a produção total de fibras em relação à testemunha. Analisando-se os resultados obtidos, chegou-se à conclusão de que para o critério de irrigação adotado, um turno de rega de nove dias atenderia a cerca de 80% da necessidade de irrigação da cultura do rami em latossolo roxo, para Campinas.

A field experiment with ramie (Boehmeria nivea Gaud.) cv. Murakami, was conducted in Dusky - Red Latosol at Campinas, State of São Paulo, Brazil. The treatments consisted of irrigated and non-irrigated plots with and without annual fertilization. The sprinkler irrigation was applied when 60-70% of the available water was depleted from the first 50cm of soil profile. Irrigation brought an average increase in crude fiber production of 175% in relation to unfertilized non-irrigated treatment. Fertilization also increased production, but to a lesser degree than irrigation. Both treatments combined increased fiber production by 212%. Analyzing the 82 irrigations applied during the 60-month period of experimentation, it was concluded that an irrigation system for growing ramie at Campinas should be designed for application interval of nine days, in order to attend 80% of the irrigation necessity throughout the year.

São apresentados e discutidos os resultados de um estudo sôbre o comprimento e o diâmetro do caule de rami em relação ao rendimento, à fineza e à resistência das fibras à tração. Os resultados mostram que os caules de menor diâmetro dão maior rendimento do fibras, as quais ae apresentam mais finas. A resistência das fibras à tração não foi influenciada pelas dimensões dos caules, o mesmo sucedendo ao rendimento, à fineza e à resistência da fibra à tração em relação ao comprimento dos caules.

This paper reports the results of studies on the relation between diameter and length of ramie stalks of the Murakami variety to the content, fineness and tensile strenght of the fiber. The stalks were grouped in 7 diameter classes, varying from 4.5 to 10 mm, and according to lenght in classes differing by 10 cm, from 80 to 160 cm. The results showed that the stalks of smallest diameter had the highest fiber content; at the same time, their fiber was correspondingly the finnest. The tensile strength of the fibers had no relation to stalk dimensions. In relation to the fiber characteristcs studied, no difference was found that could be related to stalk length.

Os autores apresentam e discutem os resultados de estudos preliminares sôbre o sistema radicular do fórmio (Phormium tenax Forster), sisal (Agave sisalana Perrine) e bambu .imperial (Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. var. vittata A. ,& C, Riv.). Concluem, que o sistema radicular do fórmio é relativamente raso, o do sisal bastante superficial é o do bambu imperial se limitada às primeiras carnadas do solo.

Results of preliminary studies on root-systems of New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax Forster), sisal (Agave sisalana Perrine), and imperial bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. var. vittata A. & C. Riv.) plants by the method of soil block, are apresented and discussed by the authors. According to local soil conditions, it is concluded that the root-system of New Zealand flax is relatively superficial, with the main concentration of roots in the 12 in. soil top layer. In sisal, the root-systems of the three plants investigated were found to occur in the soil surface layer, with more of 90% of the roots in the top 6 in. Finally, in the imperial bamboo clump atudied, the main concentration of roots was found in the layer 6-12 in. deep.

Êste estudo trata da multiplicação vegetativa do bambu imperial, por meio de estacas de ramos e toletes de côlmo. Teve, por finalidade, verificar a praticobilidade desses processos em substituição ao método ortodoxo da subdivisão de touceiros, usado pora sua propagação. Os resultados obtidos mostram que ambos os processos são bastante eficientes, desde que sejam respeitadas os seguintes regras básicas: 1) utilizar apenas 05 bases de ramos para fornecimento das estacas; 2) plantar os toletes de côlmo em posição horizontal. Foram obtidas, dessa maneira, os seguintes porcentagens de enraizamento: 70,5% para estacas de base de ramo e 99% para toletes de côlmo.

The common method of propagating Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. var. vittata A. et C. Riv., like other clump bamboos, is by division. This method, although quite effective, has the disadvantage of being economically impractical to supply commercial demands of planting material for large scale bamboo plantations. This study deals with the assexual propagation of this bamboo species by branch cuttings and culm sections as propagating material, to overcome the disadvantage of propagation by clump division. Branch cuttings and culm sections were obtained from 80 culms, 40 being about I year old and 40 about 3 years old. Two hundred branch cuttings and one hundred culm sections were taken for each culm age group and divided into five subgroups for treatment or not with the following root-promoting substances: Trilone (2,4-D), Dieradix D, Dieradix MD, and alpha-naphthylacetic acid. Two types of branch cuttings were taken from the middle and top sections of each culm age group: a) the basal enlarged portion of the branch, including 3 nodes and 2 internodes, besides a little portion of the culm wood attached to the base; b) the next portion of the same branch, including 3 nodes and 2 internodes. So, there were 10 branch cuttings in each treatment including the untreated check, for each culm age group in this investigation. Two types of culm sections were taken for each culm age group: a) culm base sections, consisting of two nodes with one "eye" or dormant bud in each node; b) culm middle sections, consisting of two nodes, each one with the enlarged basal portion and two nodes of the main branch attached to it. Culm sections were planted in two positions: a) horizontally, about four inches below soil level; b) slanting, with the top node at soil level. So, there were 5 culm sections in each treatcent, including the untreated check, for each culm age group in this trial. The experiment was performed from October 10, 1961 to March 28, 1962, and brought ou the following findings: Branch cuttings: 1. Treatment with root-promoting substances gave some response only in case of alfa-naphthylacetic ocid. Within treatments the percentage of cuttings rooted was 48.7 for both types and ages of branch cuttings; and 80.0 per cent, considering only the branch cuttings made of the basal portion of the branches. Untreated check gave 38.7 per cent ond 77.5 per cent, respectively. 2. Number of juvenile culms and "horns" (new culms beginning to grow and not yet emerged from the ground) was greater in the rooted branch cuttings that were treated with alpha-nophthylacetic acid. 3 Rooting was best for the branch cuttings made of basal portions of branches ond taken from the middle section of the culm. Culm sections: 1 . Horizontal planting gave better rooting results with 99.0 per cent against 71 .0 per cent for slanting planting. 2. Concerning rooting at both nodes, culm sections prepared from the middle culm portion had a higher rooting ability than those taken from the basal culm portion. 3. Culm age had no effect on culm section rooting as well as the treatment with root-promoting substances.

São apresentados e discutidos os resultados das medições de comprimento e largura das fibras de 27 espécies alienígenas de bambus, compreendendo 12 gêneros, das quais apenas 4 foram anteriormente estudados pelos autores. O material usado nos exames biométricos das fibras de 19 das novas espécies estudadas, foi coletado do "bambusetum" localizado na Estação Experimental de Tatuí, sendo que o dos 4 restantes do base do côlmo de mudos importadas do estrangeiro, mas que não vingaram. Os resultados dos medições mostram que as dimensões das fibras, em comprimento e largura, variaram grandemente segundo as espécies de bambu. O comprimento médio de fibra variou de 1,33 a 2,74 mm, enquanto que a largura variou de 8,39 a 20,90 microns. A relação entre o comprimento e a largura das fibras situou-se entre 63:1 a 264:1. Os resultados encontrados nas medições de comprimento das fibras confirmam, de modo geral, o valor dos bambus como matéria-prima para produção de celulose de fibras longas.

This article gives fiber dimensions and derived values obtained for 23 bamboo species, besides similar data for 4 species previously reported by the authors. The average fiber dimensions found for the 27 bamboo species ranged as follows (in milimeters): length, from 1.325 for Bambusa beecheyana to 2.744 for Gigantcchloa apus; width, from 0.00839 for Pleioblastus simoni to 0.02090 for Bambusa beecheyana. The length diameter ratio ranged from 63:1 to 264:1, the shortest ratio being that of Bambusa beecheyana and the highest one of Bambusa vulgaris. The coefficient of variation for fiber length ranged from 26.50% to 42.32% and for fiber width from 17.80% to 60.09%. Considering the ease of bamboo cultivation, the high and rapid production per area, and the quality of the fiber, bamboos areunquestionably the most promising source for cellulose production in the tropical and subtropical regions. As in many other countries where bamboo is being used on a large scale for the pulp and paper industry, it seems likely that in Brazil this plant as a commercial crop will be, in very near future, an important source of long-fibered pulp for blending with short-fibered pulps in papermaking.

São apresentados e discutidos os resultados de vários experimentos de campo realizados na Estação Experimental de Tatuí, do Instituto Agronômico, com a Crotalaria juncea L. como planta produtora de celulose para papel. Êsses resultados permitem fazer recomendações úteis sôbre o melhoramento técnico da cultura e da produção, no concernente às questões de variedades, espaçamento, densidade de semeação, época de semeação e época de colheita dos caules.

This paper reports the results obtained in sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) field trials carried out at the Tatui Experiment Station, São Paulo State. The trials were designed to study the effect of varieties, spacing x rate of seeding, time of sowing and time of harvesting on sunn hemp fiber production as a raw material for paper pulp. From the results achieved in these trials, the following recommendations can be made for growing sunn hemp as a fiber plant for paper pulp in the State of São Paulo. VARIETY: to use the common variety that is normally sowed for green manuring. TIME OF SOWING: to sow the seeds during october. RATE OF SEED SOWING AND SPACING: to sow the seeds at the rate of 100 lbs/ acre in rows spaced 8 inches apart. TIME OF HARVESTING: to harvest the stalks for mechanical fiber extraction when the seed pods are in the mature stage.

Os autores analisam e discutem os resultados dos estudos sôbre os efeitos da irrigação e estação do ano nas características de resistência à tração e de fineza das fibras do rami Murakami, em amostras de fibras desgomadas químicamente e correspondentes às posições base, centro e poiila dos caules.

A study concerning the quality of ramie fiber of the Murakami variet, grown under conditions or not of irrigation, combined or not with chemical fertilizing, and coming from four consecutive urowth periods (summer autunm. winter, and spring) is here reported by the authors. This study was made on samples of chemically degummad fibers obtained from mechanically decorticated crude fiber ribbons. Qualily determinations weremade for fineness and tensile strength of fibers corresponding to the base, middle, and tip sections of the ramie stalks. Concerning the loss of weight by the degumming process, it was found that the lowest occurred in the crude fiber ribbons from the base section of the stalk, and that there was in any case a progressive increase in loss from base to up. Differences in loss for the three fiber positions were highly significant. As regards the treatments and growing seasons, the differences in the loss of weight of the crude fiber ribbons were significantly higher only for not irrigated plot and for autunm and spring plant growths. In relation to fineness, a highly significant difference was found for fiber positions in the stalk, the fiber of the tip section being significantly finer than that of the other two stalk sections. Considering the fiber of the irrigated plot against that of the not-irrigated plot there was a barely significant difference, the fiber of the last treatment being a little finer. The fiber from the winter growth was significantly finer than that of the summer growth, but only a little finer as compared to those of the autunm and spring growths. Tensile strenght differences were highly significant for fibers from the lip and base sections of the stalks, while for growing seasons they were barely significant. Fibers of the tips sections were significantly stronger than those of the base section, but a little stronger when compared with those of the middle section. No difference was found between the fibers of the base and middle sections of the stalk regarding tensile strength. Concerning the season of growth it was found that the fibers from the summer growth were significantly weaker for tensile strength than those of the other growing seasons, mainly as compared to those of the winter growth. Irrigation and fertilizing treatments had no effect on fiber tensile strength. To conclude, it may be stated that if fine and strong fibers were in demand by any ramie mill, it might be practical before degumming to divide at middle the bundles of crude fiber, and to handle the superior half separately, or besides this, to work only with crude fiber ribbons from plant winter growth. These facts must be considered by breeders and fiber technologists in any ramie breeding and selection program or technological studies concerning tiic sampling for comparing fiber characteristics between ramie varieties or fibers coming from distinet producing countries.