VEGETABLE FIBERS OF PHILIPPINES. 



227 



encouraged, as cotton and cotton goods form one of the largest items 

 of imports into the islands. Experiments that have been made during 

 the past year, to say nothing of earlier efforts in the same direction, 

 have demonstrated that a satisfactory yield of good cotton can be 

 obtained in the Philippines. Insect enemies will have to be overcome 

 and methods of cultivation regulated to suit an early or late rainy 

 season, but, in general, soil and climate conditions are favorable. A 

 great deal of interest is now being shown in regard to this subject 

 by Filipino planters. Large quantities of seed have been distributed 

 in the provinces, and the next year promises to show at least a begin- 



Fig. 2. Morro Woman Weaving Sarong. 



ning towards the establishment of a Philippine cotton-growing in- 

 dustry. 



Pina (Pineapple) , Ananas sativa. 



Pineapple fiber, or pina, is of peculiar interest as furnishing the 

 material for the beautiful and justly celebrated pina cloth. This 

 fiber is obtained from the leaves of the same plant that produces the 

 well-known fruit. The pineapple plant is grown quite extensively 

 in the Philippine Islands both for its fruit and for its fiber, but when 

 utilized as a fiber plant the undeveloped fruit is usually cut shortly 

 after the time of flowering. 



Pineapple fiber is one of the finest and strongest of all of the 

 vegetable fibers. It is the former quality that prevents its more ex- 

 tensive use, as the extreme delicacy of pina makes its extraction from 

 the leaf an extremely slow and difficult operation. A very simple and 

 primitive method is used in the Philippines for the extraction of this 



