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from the petioles, as the fiber breaks more readily. "Banana 

 sinamay" as the fabric is called is in great demand by Filipino 

 women for dress material. 



The very finest cloth in the Philippines, almost as delicate as 

 a spider's web, is made from the leaves of the pineapple plant. 

 The fibers are obtained by scraping the leaves with a blunt 

 object of some kind such as a piece of pottery, bamboo, iron 

 and the like. 



In a number of provinces Agave cantula is the species of sisal 

 usually cultivated. The fibers are obtained by retting. The 

 fibers of bowstring hemp, Zansevieria zeylanica, are occasionally 

 used for commercial purposes. 



Miscellaneous Fibers 



The kapok tree, Ceiha pentandra, is found in all provinces in 

 the Philippines, but its silky cotton-like fibers are gathered for 

 trade or export principally in the Visayas. The fibers are 

 excellent as filling material for mattresses, pillows, cushions and 

 life preservers. 



Cotton was cultivated formerly extensively in a number of 

 provinces in the Islands, but its present cultivation is rather 

 limited. While household looms still spin cotton yarn jin the 

 Philippines, the bulk of cotton goods used in the Islands is 

 imported. 



The stalks of Dendrohium crumenatiim, an orchid with a fluted 

 and bulbous base, is used as a decorative material in basketry. 

 To make the stalks of an even bright-yellow color they are 

 placed for a short time in boiling water or in water to which a 

 little vinegar has been added. Exposing the cut stalks to the 

 sun produces the same result. 



Donax cannaeformis, known to the Filipinos as banban, is 

 found throughout the Philippines, and is used much like the 

 petioles of palms for obtaining light to dark-brown splints in 



basketry. 



Bast Fibers 



There are a great many species of plants in the Philippines 

 belonging especially to the family of Tiliaceae, Malvaceae and 



