BAST FIBERS 229 
Fia. 217, I.—Flax (Linum usitatissimum, Flax Family, Linaceew). Plant in 
flower. Young flower-cluster. Seed, entire and cut vertically. (Bail- 
lon.)—Annual, about 60 em. tall; leaves smooth; flowers light blue; 
fruit dry. Native home, Southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. 
and most elastic part of the framework of plants. In con- 
trast with the woody part they contain commonly a larger 
proportion of pure cellulose and are thus comparatively 
little affected by agencies of decay or the various chemicals 
which destroy or soften wood. The bast fibers of greatest 
economic importance are flax, jute, and hemp. 
Flaz is next to cotton, the most useful and valuable of all 
fibers. It has an even wider range of uses, but as its prep- 
