15 



use of a native material in such and similar cases is not 

 only more economical, but often results in a better-looking 

 article. 



In general, the aim in industrial work with fibers should 

 be to use Philippine raw materials exclusively and to produce 

 articles by hand or by simple implements operated by hand, 

 that can not be duplicated on power machines. 



In collecting plants for industrial purposes too little 

 attention is often given to the selection of the best material 

 available. The inexperienced person in search of industrial 

 material will often cut down industrial plants indiscrimi- 

 nately without heeding whether they are too young or too 

 old, good or indifferent, or whether they have flaws, decayed 

 spots, and imperfections. A little scrutiny in collecting 

 plants will save much trouble when the material is to be 

 worked up. 



Every one collecting industrial materials should be 

 cautioned not to exterminate all specimens of a plant in a 

 given area. While it may be true that there exists a 

 bountiful supply of certain plant materials in a great number 

 of districts, yet care should be had for the future, and no 

 plants should be cut down that are not needed, nor should 

 the whole supply be wiped out. Some plants should always 

 be left. Better results are obtained by gathering some 

 material from young plants, some from old plants, some 

 from plants growing in the shade, and some from similar 

 plants in high places. By such procedure, variation in 

 design and better effects can be secured and a steady supply 

 of plants insured from year to year. 



Few, if any, attempts have as yet been made to cultivate 

 the industrial fiber plants found at present growing wild in 

 field and forest. Experiments along this line would there- 

 fore prove of great interest. 



To carry on industrial work successfully, supervising 

 teachers and division industrial supervisors will find it 

 necessary to make a close study of the plants within their 

 districts. It will be found convenient as well as instructive 

 to have each Filipino teacher in the district make a collection 

 of the industrial fiber plants found within the barrio. It is 



