J. Forbes Royle's 1855 treatise surveys the fibre-yielding plants of India suitable for cordage, textiles and paper-making. It covers the nature and preparation of vegetable fibres, then works through endogens (aloe, agave, pine-apple, plantain, Manilla hemp, palms, coir) and exogens (flax, jute, Sunn and other Indian hemps, Malvaceae, nettles, rhea or Chinese grass). Long sections give detailed accounts of flax cultivation and preparation in Ireland, Belgium and the regions of India, including Watt's process and breaking and scutching machinery. Many tables give export and import statistics, rope-strength tests and soil and ash analyses. It also treats fibres for paper-making.