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about 2 cm. from the end of the root. The cylinder is then 

 pulled down so that it emerges from one side only, thus 

 breaking the cortex about 1 dm. in length. Then holding 

 the root firmly against the stem of a tree, that can be 

 conveniently encircled with the hand, the thumb of the left 

 hand is interposed from above between the cylinder and the 

 cortex. The cylinder is held tightly between the thumb 

 and the tree while the right hand keeps on pulling the 

 cylinder toward the body, the cortex falling to the ground. 

 As soon as a piece of cylinder of sufficient length has been 

 pulled out, it may be wound around the hand to give a 

 firmer grip in pulling. 



The process is best performed in the field immediately 

 after collection, as the cylinder then pulls out easily from 

 the cortex. It also saves one the burden of carrying home 

 much useless material. In general, the hill people will have 

 to be employed to collect and bring in this material. 



USES. 



Air roots furnish a strong, round, pliable material of 

 small and even diameter which may be used in basketry 

 either split or entire. Roots, or rather central cylinders, 

 that are naturally white need no further preparation before 

 being used. Amlong, either brown or black, may be kept 

 that color or may be bleached as explained under "Brown 

 amlong." 



The roots may be used instead of the core of rattan for 

 furniture purposes and as foundations on which to wind 

 lupis, raffia, and other materials. Hand satchels and other 

 objects made from round rattan can also be woven from 

 air roots. The material in combination with nito is also 

 suitable for lamp shades. 



WHITE AMLONG. 



{Epipremnum elmerianum.) 



This species, belonging to the family of Araceae, has 

 a central cylinder which, after being stripped of its sur- 

 rounding tissue, stays white without any further prepara- 

 tion. If any species deserves the name of white amlong, 



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