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JUTE. 



(Corchorus spp.: C. acutangulus, C. capsularis, C. olitorius.) 



There are three species of jute that grow wild in the 

 Philippines. They are not considered here separately, as 

 from all of them a commercial fiber can be obtained. The 

 species are all annual herbs varying in height from 0.5 

 to 2 m. They all agree in having yellow flowers and gen- 

 erally two bristlelike appendages at the base of the leaves. 

 The margins of the leaves are serrated, but the shape of 

 the leaves differs for the various species. All the species 

 have receptacles for seeds, but in C. capsularis it is in the 

 form of a capsule more or less round, very wrinkled, and 

 about 1 cm. in diameter. In C. acutangulus this receptacle 

 is a cylinder about 2 to 3 cm. long, 6 to 8 ribbed, and having 

 3 or 4 erect or divergent beaks, while the cylindrical capsule 

 in C. olitorius is about 3 to 3.5 cm. long^ 10-ribbed, and 

 provided with a beak that is entire. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



The species are found in waste places, usually in wet or 

 damp land ; also near rice fields throughout the Philippines. 



PREPARATION. 



The outer bark and bast are removed together from the 

 stem; the bark is stripped off and the bast is dried in the 

 sun for about two days. The fibers are also prepared by 

 leaving the bast in the water for about a week and then 

 drying it in the sun. The first process results in a vine- 

 like rope, while the second permits of the fabrication of a 

 more fibrous cordage material. 



USES. 



At present jute is used in the Philippines only for rope 

 and is never planted by the Filipino farmer. It would prob- 

 ably pay to raise the fiber, as there is a good market for 

 jute in the United States which imports yearly thousands 

 of tons worth millions of pesos. Gunny sacks and coarse 

 fabrics (burlap) for packing or upholstery are also woven 

 of jute. It is sometimes used as an adulterant in silk 

 fabrics. 



