FIBER CROPS 305 



While all the higher plants, therefore, contain woody fibers or 

 cells, and in that sense all are fiber plants, only those fibers are 

 useful for textile purposes which have the requisite strength, 

 length, fineness, flexibility, and elasticity. In addition to the 

 fibrovascular bundles which occur in the stems, leaves and bark 

 of plants, there are certain simple cells which grow on the 

 surface of plants, especially on the seeds, which are adapted 

 to textile uses, and which, to distinguish them from fibrovas- 

 cular bundles, are called surface fibers. 



392. Classification According to Use. In the widest sense, 

 there is no limit to the character of the fiber or to the plants to 

 be used for fiber. The following classification has been pro- 

 posed, as covering all the possible economic uses of the vegeta- 

 ble fibers: 1 



A. Spinning fibers 



1. Fabric fibers. 



2. Netting fibers. 



3. Cordage fibers. 



B. Tie materials 



C. Natural textures 



1. Tree basts with tough interlacing fibers. 



2. The ribbon layer basts. 



3. Interlacing structural fibers or sheaths. 



D. Brush fibers 



1. Brushes manufactured from prepared fiber. 



2. Brooms or whisks. 



3. Very coarse brushes or brooms. 



E. Plaiting and rough weaving fibers 



1. Used in articles of attire, as hats, sandals, etc. 



2. Mats and mattings, also thatch material. 



3. Basketry. 



4. Miscellaneous manufactures, as willow ware. 



F. Various forms of filling 



1. Stuffing or upholstery. 



2. Calking. 



3. Stiffening, as in the manufacture of "staff." 



4. Packing. 



1 U. S. Dept. Agr., Fiber Investigations, Rpt. 9 (1897): A descriptive 

 catalogue of useful plants of the world, including the structural and economic 

 classification of plants, p. 31. 



