(25) 



534- Letchuguillas. — Hair stirrers made from the stem of a species of Agave and 



used by the Mexican natives. Acquired in 1901 by J. N. Rose. 

 535-536. Coarser forms of the same. Same source and donor. 



537. Another sample. Presented by Mrs. N. L. Britton. 



538. Iris fiber. — From the leaves of Iris macrosiphon Torrey. {Iridaceae — Iris 



Family). Native of California, and used by the Indians about Ft. Gaston 

 in making baskets and rugs. Obtained by Valery Havard, Aug. 4, 1880. 



THE BANANA FAMILY (Musaceae) 



539. Abaca or Manila hemp. — A hard fiber made from the leaf-sheaths of the 



Abaca plant, Musa textilis Nee. Native of the Malay region. Used in 

 making heavy rope and better grades of twine. Presented by the U. S. 

 Dept. of Agriculture. 



540. The same, from the Philippine Islands. Presented by Theodore Miiller. 



541. Another sample of same. Same donor. 



542. The same, from the Philadelphia Museums. 



543. The same, from Travers Bros., of New York City. 



544. Manila rope. Made of the preceding fiber. Same donor. 



545. Manila binder twine. Binder twine made from the same fiber. Same donor. 



546. Manila rope, 2 inches in diameter, from same. Same donor. 



547. Drilling cable from same. Used in oil-well and other drilling. Same donor. 



548. Maranta fiber hat. — Its outer layer made of the split stems of Clinogyne 



dichotoma (Roxb.) Benth. {Marantaceae — Arrow-root Family.) Native of 

 the East Indies. 



549. Trao fiber. — The fiber of the leaves of Dendrobium crumenatum Sw. (Orchi- 



daceae — Orchid Family.) Native of the Philippine Islands. Presented by 

 Theodore Miiller. 



550. Willow strips. — From the outer portion of the stems of a species of Salix or 



willow (Salicaceae — Willow Family). Native of the southwestern United 

 States. Used by the Pima Indians in basket making. Acquired in Arizona 

 in 1902 by D. T. MacDougal. 



THE MULBERRY FAMILY (Moraceae) 



Hemp and Its Products 

 Hemp is the bast-fiber of the bark of the stem of Cannabis 

 saliva L. native of Asia and widely cultivated for various 

 purposes. This variety has been developed for the special 

 value of its fiber. The stem is put through a variety of 

 processes which break up and remove the central cylinder 

 of woody tissue and which combs and shakes out the outer 

 bark and other cellular portions. The fiber then remaining 

 is still further cleaned and carded into its fine strands, 

 which can be spun into yarn, used in the manufacture of 

 twine, rope, bags, nets, matting and many similar articles. 



