MISCELLANEOUS FIBRES 209 



MEXICAN WHISK OR ZACATON FIBRE 



This and similar products are known in France by 

 the name of " chiendents." Mexican whisk consists 

 of the roots of Epicampes macroura, a grass with 

 coarse, tufted leaves which occurs extensively in the 

 Mexican highlands and attains a height of 6 or 7 feet. 

 The roots are collected by hand, washed in water, 

 and dried in the sun, and are exported from Vera 

 Cruz under the name of " Raiz de Zacaton " ; they 

 are about 9-1 2 inches long, of pale yellow colour and 

 wavy appearance, and very flexible. The yellow 

 colour is said to be obtained by exposing the roots to 

 the fumes of burning sulphur. They are used chiefly 

 in France and Germany for the manufacture of carpet 

 brooms, clothes brushes, and velvet brushes. The 

 product is not altogether satisfactory, as, when 

 thoroughly dry, the fibres become brittle and are apt 

 to break when being used as brushes. 



A product, resembling Mexican whisk, but of 

 superior quality, is obtained from a European grass, 

 Chrysopogon gryllus. The roots are collected and 

 treated in much the same way as those of Epicampes 

 macroura. The industry is principally carried on in 

 Italy and Hungary. 



FLOSSES OR SILK-COTTONS 



The seeds of many plants are enveloped by hairs 

 which facilitate their distribution by the wind. These 

 hairs are sometimes attached to the seed itself, as in 

 the case of cotton, Calotropis gigantea, and Funtumia 

 elastica, but in other cases arise from the inner wall 

 of the capsule, as in Eriodendron anfractuosum and 

 other plants of the natural order Bombacacese. 

 Cotton is, of course, the most important of these pro- 

 ducts, but many of the others have been found useful 

 for various purposes, the chief of them being the 

 flosses or silk-cottons, which are used principally for 

 stuffing upholstery. The flosses are fine, soft, lustrous 

 fibres, but are very weak. 



