MIXED FIBERS 235 
a stuffing in upholstery. The whole plant also is used as 
packing material. 
The straw of wheat, rye, barley, oats, and rice (Figs. 1-12) 
contains so little material besides the fibers, that the whole 
may be used for many purposes. This straw forms a valuable 
material for packing, filling of mattresses'and the like, thatch, 
plaiting for straw hats, baskets, and mats; and for coarse 
paper and pasteboard. What is commonly known as straw 
matting—the best sort used in place of carpet—is most gener- 
ally made of the stems of the rush shown in Fig. 221. 
Coarse mats are sometimes made of the husks of maize 
(Fig. 15) which contain strong mixed fibers similar to those 
of the straw of the other cereals. These fibers and others 
like them from the stem and foliage leaves are extracted 
and put to many uses of which the most important is paper- 
making. 
Broom-corn (Fig. 222) yields the tough, springy material 
from which most of our brooms and whisk brushes are made. 
This consists of the slender branches of the flower-cluster, 
_ripened and deprived of their fruit. Each branch or stalk 
is little more than a bundle of mixed fibers. 
Coarse brush material, as for street sweepers, is afforded 
by the similarly fibrous stems of the rattan (Fig. 223). When 
split or peeled they serve especially well also, under the 
name “reed,” for basketry, wickerwork, cane seats, ete. 
The stems of bamboo (Fig. 224) are used widely for similar 
purposes, and for an almost endless number of other uses. 
In eastern countries the bamboos form the main dependence 
of the people in supplying a large share of their needs. 
In tropical regions generally the coconut palm (Figs. 34-36) 
is also depended upon for an immense variety of uses—far 
too many to be here enumerated. Fibrous material obtained 
from the leaves has important domestic uses, but the fiber 
of greatest value is that known as coir, which is obtained from 
the nut husks by rotting away the softer material. Coir 
makes cordage of extraordinary lightness and elasticity es- 
pecially valuable for cables and running rigging. Its most 
familiar use is for door-mats and other matting subject to 
very hard wear. 
