VEGETABLE FIBERS. ' 561 



feet in length. It is not as strong, however, as the Cordyline before 

 mentioned, though it is much softer. 



B. Draco "has a tree-like stem simple or divided at the top, and often, 

 when old, becoming much more crowded, each branch terminated by a 

 crowned head of lanceolate, linear, entire leaves of a glaucus green color, 

 which embrace the stem at their base." The tree derives its name 

 from a resinous secretion or exuduation known to commence as dragon's 

 blood, which at one time formed an article of considerable export from 

 the Canaries. Some of the plants are gigantic in size, " the colossal 

 Dragon-tree at the town of Orotovia, in TenerifCe, being 75 feet high and 

 48 feet in circumferencs, witli an antiquty which must at least be 

 greater than the pyramids." 



Dianella latifoUa. — A specimen of this fiber appears from Australia, 

 where it was prepared by Dr. Guilfoyle. He states that the plant grows 

 on the banks of creeks and fern-gullies in elevated situations, where its 

 leaves sometimes attain a length of 6 feet. He considers the fiber 

 good, and excellent for paper stock. The specimen still preserves much 

 of its grass-like form, having been prepared experimentally in a simple 

 manner. Some of the filaments are white and brilliant; it is quite 

 strong, a few fibers twisted together requiring quite an effort to break 

 them. 



Its name does not appear in the list of useful textile fibers, from which 

 it is to be inferred it has not hitherto been known as a fiber-producing 

 plant of any value. 



The i)lants of this genus are indigenous in Australia and tropical 

 Asia. They have fibrous roots, grass-like leaves (from which the fiber 

 is obtained), and paniculate-blue flowers. The plants bear many-seeded 

 blue berries. 



23.— JUNCACEiE. 



We now come to a group of plants producing fibrous material, but not 

 fiber in the strictest sense of the word. The rushes and grasses, as a 

 general rule, are used almost without preparation other than drying, 

 the entire leaf of the plant entering into the composition of the manu- 

 factured article, which is coarsely woven, plaited, or braided into shoes, 

 mats, baskets, &c., or twisted into a coarse kind of cordage. The 

 " fiber " is sometimes extracted. 



J'lmcus vaginatus. — The Sheathed Eush. — Two specimens of fiber from 

 tills rush were received from the Victorian collection, and are among 

 the many fibers collected and prepared by Dr. Guilfoyle. The plant is 

 a native of Victoria, and grows abundantly. It is regarded as a good 

 fiber plant as well as an excellent paper stock, and the fiber is said to 

 make a good substitute for human hair. It is a strong growing plant 

 and is found extensively on the margins of lagoons and water-courses. 



There are two farms of it in Victoria, one of which is much smaller 

 than the other, and which is regarded as the best for fiber, while both 

 are user! for paper. 



Rushes have been employed in one way or another for some of the 

 purposes of other fiber, but they are generally employed for mechanical 

 purposes only, as in the manufacture of mats, baskets, chair-seats, &c. 

 Juncus cffusus is cultivated in the province of Oomi in Japan for the 

 manufacture of floor mats of the better quality. These are plaited very 

 closely, the interstices filled with rice-straw, and are all of one si^e, 

 namely, 3 by 6 feet, so that they can be moved from house to house. 

 These mats are described as soft and elastic, and are often three or four 

 36 AG 



