FIBER-PRODUCING PLANTS 355 



countries, especially in the hot humid regions of southeastern 

 Asia. Stems of numerous species are used by the natives for all 

 types of construction, and are exported to other countries for 

 manufacture into fishing rods, furniture, baskets, brushes, and 

 many other objects. 



Fibers from Monocot Flowers and Fruits 



Broomcorn, also a member of the Grass Family, is a member 

 of the sorghum genus, other members of which are discussed in 

 Chapter 12 as sugar producing plants. The seed head of broom- 

 corn is made up of a cluster of long straight seed bearing branches 

 which constitute the brush, or valuable part of the plant. Most 

 of the United States broomcorn is grown in the Mississippi 

 valley. Harvesting of broomcorn is carried out before the seed 

 has formed, by cutting the stems a few inches below the heads, 

 after which they are sorted for quality, threshed, and dried, 

 later to be manufactured into brooms of all kinds. 



Although not properly included in this section, another grass, 

 known as broomroot, is widely used in the manufacture of 

 cheap brushes. This is a perennial plant found especially in the 

 mountainous regions of Mexico, where it is exploited by the 

 natives for its coarse wiry roots at all seasons of the year. After 

 the plants have been dug, their roots are washed, dried, cut from 

 the tops, and sorted for baling and shipment. 



The COCONUT palm contributes a fiber known as coir which 

 is the rough, brownish fiber derived from the husks of its fruit, 

 the coconut. In order to loosen the fibrous material, unripe 

 coconuts are soaked in salt water for several months, after which 

 the fiber is beaten free from the rest of the tissues, washed, and 

 dried. The resultant fiber is very resistant to mechanical wear 

 and wetting, so is widely used in the manufacture of doormats, 

 upholstery stuffing, coarse textiles, and cordage. Most of the coir 

 which finds its way into the world markets is from India and 

 Ceylon, although it is produced for native use throughout a 

 much larger area in the tropics. 



