BRUSH-MAKING FIBRES 207 



KlTOOL 



Kitool consists of the fibre produced at the base of 

 the leaf-stalks of the kitool or jaggery palm (Caryota 

 urens), which is distributed throughout tropical 

 Asia, and is commonly met with in the hotter parts 

 of India, Ceylon and the Malay Peninsula. It is 

 much finer than piassava and palmyra, its diameter 

 being about 0-025 inch, and is also softer and more 

 pliable. The strands are straight, smooth, and 

 lustrous, and vary in colour from dark brown to black. 

 The product is strong and elastic, and somewhat 

 resembles horse-hair. In the years 1912-1915, the 

 exports of kitool from Ceylon were as follows : 



Year. Quantity. Value. 



Cwts. 



1912 . 2,605 9,213 



1913 .... 2,412 8,661 



1914 . . . . 1,864 6,884 



1915 . . . . 1,802 6,697 



Small quantities are also exported from India. 

 During the years 1913-1915, the fibre was quoted ia 

 the London market at prices ranging from i d. to 1 1 d . 

 per Ib. 



MEXICAN FIBRE 



Mexican fibre, which is also known as Is tie or 

 Tampico hemp, is obtained from the leaves of certain 

 agaves, of which Agave heteracantha is the most im- 

 portant. The plants occur in all parts of Mexico, 

 but chiefly on the plains and mountain slopes of the 

 States of Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, and San 

 Luis Potosi. The last mentioned State is the principal 

 centre of the industry, and the fibre from this region 

 is shipped from Tampico. 



The soil on which the plants grow is very poor and 

 highly calcareous. The leaves are usually from one 

 to two feet long, and bear sharp spines on their margins . 

 Only the central leaves are gathered, the outer ones 

 being left on the plant as they are too hard to admit 

 of satisfactory extraction of the fibre. After the 



