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PHILIPPINE FIBER PLANTS 



By William H. Brown 

 INTRODUCTION 



With the great variety of plants occurring in the Philippines 

 it is not surprising to find a large number which produce useful 

 fibers. Most of the fibers derived from the wild plants are, 

 however, of little economic value and are used very locally for 

 making inferior grades of ropes or for other minor purposes. 

 However, some of them, as in the case of the buri, pandan, 

 rattans, and bamboos, are the bases of considerable industries; 

 while abaka (Manila hemp), which produces the premier cord- 

 age of the world, is a native of the Philippines. The use of 

 Philippine fibers in the manufacture of hats has been extensively 

 discussed by Miller * and Robinson.t Muller J has written a 

 very good account of the various Philippine fibers used in the 

 industrial work of the schools. A short account of some plants 

 producing bast used in making ropes is given by Mendiola § ; 

 while King has written a very extensive and detailed discussion 

 of the mechanical properties of a large number of bast fibers 

 used in rope manufacture. 



Some of the most useful fibers which can be considered as 

 forest products are derived from palms and bamboos, and have 

 been discussed in bulletins dealing with these plants. They 

 are used in the manufacture of hats, baskets, mats, furniture, 

 ropes, thatching, etc. 



* Miller, H. H,, Philippine hats. Bureau of Education Bulletin Number 

 33 (1910). 



t Robinson, C. B., Philippine hats. Philippine Journal of Science, 

 Volume VI (1911), pages 93 to 131. 



t Muller, T., Industrial fiber plants of the Philippines. Bureau of Edu- 

 cation Bulletin Number 49 (1913). 



§ Mendiola, N. B., A study of Philippine bast fibers. Philippine Agri- 

 culturist and Forester, Volume VI (1917), pages 6 to 39. 



li King, A. E. W., Mechanical properties of Philippine bast fiber rope. 

 Philippine Journal of Science, Volume XIV (1919). 



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