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MISCELLANEOUS FIBRES 



Coir is composed of a mass of very strong, elastic 

 filaments of a reddish-brown colour. These filaments 

 are thick in the middle and gradually taper towards 

 the ends, the diameter in the widest part varying from 

 0-002 to O'oi2 inch; they are from 6 to 13 inches 

 long, and either round or elliptical in cross-section. 

 The fibre is very resistant to the action of water, and 

 is so light as to float on it, and it is therefore of great 

 service for the manufacture of ships' ropes. 



The individual filaments are composed of fibro- 

 vascular tissue consisting chiefly of very short, 

 irregularly thickened bast fibres of uneven diameter ; 

 these ultimate bast fibres are about 0-016 to 0*039 

 inch long and 0^0005 to O'OOOS inch in diameter. 



The importance of the coir industry can be gauged 

 from the following statistics. 



Exports of Coir from India 



Raw Fibre. 



Manufactured Coir (excluding rope). 



Exports of Coir (Raw and Manufactured) from Ceylon 



