N()T1':S ox . FIBRI-: l'kODUC]{L) I'RO.M SOME OF 



TH]-: MOST USEFUL LNDIGENOUS AND EXOTIC 



PLANTS LX THE CAPE PROVINCE. 



Bv LvMES Leighton, F.R.H.S. 



Present CDiuliiions are causino^ a ^reat scarcity of all kinds 

 •)f cordao^e. and my object in this ])ai)er is to direct attention to 

 ihe vast wealth cif raw material at hand awaiting- develoi^ment. 

 and capable of at least sn])i>lyino- ouv own iieeds. 



Many of these tibres may be i)rei)ared l)y rating in the same 

 wa}^ as flax, and with a little training, natives would soon become 

 exi>ert at this work. There is an abundance of fibre-producing 

 plants, obtainable at nuiny i)laces throughout the cmuitrv, while 

 Hax, hemj), Aijavc, 1-ourcroya, Phoniiiiiiii, and other i)lants may 

 he cultivated. 



I shall first deal with some of our indigenous plants. 

 Cyf^cnts tc.vtilis. i)roduces a strong, useful fibre capable of 

 l)eing made into ropes and strong' cord. It is commonly found 

 near the margins of rivers and m wet places, where it grows to 

 a height of about six feet. 



Cypcnis hcxanf/iilarc is another valual)le rush, thriving in 

 less moist places than the former. 



SaiJsericria thyrsifloro, a liliaceous plant, allied to Phor- 

 miiiiii. is a stemless perennial plant w'ith thick fibrous leaves. 

 sword-shaj>ed, and sheathed at base. This i^lant is common in 

 the shade of Ijushes and dry places througli.mt the Eastern 

 Province. vS". Giiiiiiciisis produces the bowstring hemp. The 

 fibre of our species is of a very fine qualitx'. capable of being' 

 made into string and thread. This plant mav prove worthv of 

 cultivation. 



I'leiirya pcdimciilaris. a nettle, common in tlie Buft'alo 

 Valley. ])roducing strong procumbent stems 8 to 12 feet in length, 

 yields a good fibre, somewhat like Urtica nir'ca. the China :grass. 

 Mak'csiniui capoisc, a tall malvaceous shrub common on the 

 margin of cultivated lands, has a very strong fibrous bark. 



1 shall now deal with >ome of the exotics that have become 

 acclimatized. A(/az'e Americana and its variegated form is well 

 estaljlishcd. and in many cases it has grown into dense masses. 

 It is a hardy species thrivinti- iii dry places, where few other 

 ])lants could exist. The fibre is strong, and suitable ifor the 

 manufacture of ropes. The fibre is best obtained by passing 

 the thick, succulent leaves through heavy rollers. The pulp 

 thus extracted may be mixed with meal or dry hay. and tised 

 for feeding stock. Mixed with ley ash, it is used in the manu- 

 facture of soap capable of lathering in salt water as well as in 

 fresh. 



Phoniiiuni teua.v, New Zealand flax, a genus of Liliacese with 

 one variable s])ecies. confined to New Zealand and Norfolk 

 Island, is a tufted plant with sword-shaped leaves growing in 

 opposite rows and clasping each other at the base, (iiven good 



