FIBRES. 



Crape paper. The Rice paper of China is prepared from the pith of Ara~ 

 lia papyrifera, N. O. 111. Hederacese ; and that of the Eastern Archi- 

 pelago from Sccevola Taccada, N. O. 1L'2. Goodeniaceee. Manilla Hemp, 

 the Abaca of the natives of the Philippine Islands, is prepared from Musa 

 textilis, L. Nee, N. O. 235. Musacese. The fibres of Ananassa sativa, 

 N- O. 241. Bromeliacese are also used in the manufacture of cordage, and 

 Pine-apple cloth, various species of Bromelia and Tillandsia contributing 

 a portion to the so-called Pine-apple fibre of commerce. Spanish Moss, 

 or Barba Hispanica, is the fibre of Tillandsia usneoides, not however 

 prepared artificially from the leaves, but produced naturally, in the place 

 of leaves and roots. N. O. 242, Liliacese, affords several fibres, viz. New 

 Zealand Flax, from Phormium tenax : Bowstring Hemp, from Sanseviera 

 zeylanica, the Moorva of Bengal, and Marool of Madras : and Agave, or 

 Pita from Agave vivipera, Buch. (A. Cantata, Rox. Aloe americana, 

 Humph.), the Cantata or Hindoostan, and Petha of Madras, for although 

 a native of tropical America, like the Parkinsonia americana, Cashew, 

 Prickley-pear, and Argemone mexicana, it has become naturalized in India, 

 in many parts giving a type to the landscape. 



N. O. 251. PAL1VLE. PALMS. 

 COCOS nucifera. W. Common Cocoanut. 



Linn. Syst. Moncecia Hexandria. 



The fibre surrounding the nut, Coir. 

 Vernacular. See " Fruits and Vegetables." 

 Habitat. East Indies. 



Remarks. See " Fruits and Vegetables." Ejoo or Gomuti is the 

 horsehair-like fibre found about the base of the leaves of Arenga sacchari- 

 fera, Labill. The Tucum thread of the Brazilians of the Rio Nigro, and 

 Upper Amazon, is prepared from the young leaves of Astrocaryum 

 valgare, Mart, not to be confounded with A. Tucuma, Mart. From 

 the outer portion of the leave- stalks of A. acauie, Mart, the natives 

 of the Rio Nigro weave baskets. Piassaba, or Para-grass, is the fibre 

 found about the base of the leaves of Attalea funifera, Mart. (Leopoldinia 

 Piassaba, Wallace), which also supplies Coquilla nuts, of which 

 parasol and door handles are often made. The leaves of the Gebang, 

 Corypha Gebanga, Blume, of Java, are made there into hats, clothing, 

 nets, bags, and baskets, the industry giving employment to " thousands 

 of boys and girls." The leaves of Eugeissonia tristis, Griffith, in 

 Penang, as those of Nip a fruticans, Thunb. (sometimes placed under 

 N. O. 255. Pandanacese) in the Eastern Archipelago, are woven into 

 mats. In Carolina and Florida, hats are made of the leaves of the 

 Palmetto, Sabal Palmetto, Lodd. Canes are the stems of species of 

 Calamus. C. Draco, W. is believed to yield the white and brown 

 Manilla Dragons 5 Canes of commerce : C. scipionum, Lour, the so-called 

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