206 



MISCELLANEOUS FIBRES 



Exports of Piassava from Sierra Leone and Nigeria 



The commercial value of piassava varies greatly 

 with the quality of the product. During the years 

 1913-1915, the prices generally ranged between the 

 following limits : 



Bahia Piassava, 26 54 per ton. 

 African Piassava, i 8-^36 per ton. 

 Allied to piassava are certain other fibres used for 

 brush-making, the chief of which are palmyra and 

 kitool. 



PALMYRA 



This fibre is obtained from the sheathing leaf- 

 stalks of the palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer) which 

 grows throughout tropical India, and is also found in 

 West Africa. The product is strong, wiry, and about 

 2 feet long ; it is sometimes referred to in commerce 

 as " bassine." In transverse section, the fibrous 

 strands are of oval form, the longer diameter being 

 about 0-05 inch, and the shorter diameter about 

 0-03 inch. The commercial supply of this fibre is 

 derived chiefly from India and Ceylon. The exports 

 from Ceylon, in the years 1912-1915, were as follows : 



Year. 



1912 



1913 

 1914 

 1915 



Quantity. 



Cwts. 



1,889 

 1,059 

 1,784 



2,588 



Value. 

 i 



2,175 

 1,079 



2,372 

 4,228 



During the years 1914 and 1915, the prices of 

 palmyra fibre in the London market varied within 

 the following limits : common to fair, 22-^27 

 medium to good medium, 28-^38 ; good to fine, 

 30-^45 per ton. 



