101 



PREPARATION. 



The network of interlacing fibers in the fruit are easily- 

 removed by hand from their surrounding tissue. If the 

 fruit is picked while green, the fibers are white in color 

 but become yellow on drying. In Bulacan the fibers are 

 first washed with soap and water before being placed in 

 the sun. 



USES. 



Especially in Abra and Bulacan, vegetable sponge fibers 

 are occasionally used for hats. There is nothing beautiful, 

 serviceable, nor artistic about these hats, and the only thing 

 than can possibly be said in their favor is that they are 

 rather novel. 



The fibers are employed commercially in the manufacture 

 of articles for the bath. Large factories in Germany im- 

 port the fiber from Japan and manufacture it into gloves, 

 straps, soap holders, and pads. In these articles either 

 the fiber alone is used, or it is sewn on to cotton or flannel 

 goods. The fibers of the vegetable sponge are well adapted 

 also for bath slippers, sandals, mats, scrubbing brushes, 

 and similar articles. They may be considered also a good 

 substitute for the more expensive sea sponges, and their use 

 for a "rubdown" is said to be of therapeutic value. 



PAMAGO. 



{Pericampylus incanus.) 



Pamago (Albay, Camarines, Sorsogon) ; silong pugo (Batangas) ; 

 tugui-tuguian (Mindoro). Collected also by B. of S. in Benguet, 

 Davao, Laguna, Leyte, Palawan, Rizal, Zamboanga. 



This plant is a member of the family of Menispermaceae. 

 Most members of this family are typical tropical twining 

 plants, being well represented in all tropical countries, but 

 very sparingly in temperate regions. 



The leaves of this vine are smooth and velvety to the 

 touch; in shape, like a conventional heart; dark-green in 

 color on the upper surface and grayish-green on the lower. 

 They are not shed periodically nor renewed at any special 

 time. The main veins are generally five in number, pal- 



