MIXED FIBERS 235 



a stuffing in upholstery. The whole plant also is used as 

 packing material. 



The straw of wheat, rye, barley, oats, and rice (B'^igs. 1-12) 

 contains so little material besides the fibers, that the whole 

 may be used for many purposes. This straw forms a valuable 

 materia] for packing, filling of mattresses and the like, thatch, 

 jjlaiting for straw hats, baskets, and mats; and for coarse 

 paper and pasteboard. What is commonly known as straw 

 matting — the best sort used in place of carpet — is most gener- 

 ally made of the stems of the rush shown in Fig. 221. 



Coarse mats are sometimes made of the husks of maize 

 (Fig. 15) which contain strong mixed fibers similar to those 

 of the straw of the other cereals. These fibers and others 

 like them from the stem and foliage leaves are extracted 

 and put to many uses of which the most important is paper- 

 making. 



Broom-corn (Fig. 222) yields the tough, springy material 

 from which most of our brooms and whisk brushes are made. 

 This consists of the slender branches of the flower-cluster, 

 ripened and deprived of their fruit. Each branch or stalk 

 is little more than a bundle of mixed fibers. 



Coarse brush material, as for street sweepers, is afforded 

 by the similarly fibrous stems of the rattan (Fig. 223). When 

 split or peeled they serve especially well also, under the 

 name "reed," for basketry, wickerwork, cane seats, etc. 



The stems of bamboo (Fig. 224) are used widely for similar 

 purposes, and for an almost endless number of other uses. 

 In eastern countries the bamboos form the main dependence 

 of the people in supplying a large share of their needs. 



In tropical regions generally the coconut palm (Figs. 34-36) 

 is also depended upon for an immense variety of uses — far 

 too many to be here enumerated. Fibrous material obtained 

 from the leaves has important domestic uses, but the fiber 

 of greatest value is that known as coir, which is obtained from 

 the nut husks by rotting away the softer material. Coir 

 makes cordage of extraordinary lightness and elasticity es- 

 pecially valuable for cables and running rigging. Its most 

 familiar use is for door-mats and other matting subject to 

 very hard wear. 



