CHAPTER XII 

 FIBER PLANTS 



A LARGE percentage of the fiber plants of the world are native 

 of the Tropics and are cultivated to the greatest extent within 

 the boundaries of the Tropics, although some of them, for in- 

 stance the conspicuous example of cotton, are grown far out- 

 side of the limits of the Tropics. The fiber plants which are 

 grown on a commercial scale in cold climates are not very 

 numerous, flax and hemp being the chief ones aside from cot- 

 ton. Both flax and hemp are also grown in the Tropics, but 

 flax has never assumed commercial importance as a tropical 

 crop, while hemp is grown in tropical countries chiefly as a 

 drug plant and not for its fiber. The commercial fibers of the 

 world are derived from various botanical structures of fiber 

 plants. The fibers are obtained mostly, however, from seed- 

 lint, bark-bast, fruit-husks, and leaves. The fibers discussed 

 in this chapter include those used for thread, cords, ropes, 

 cables, fabrics, paper, brushes, mats, hats, baskets, implements, 

 etc. Only the important ones and those which have made a 

 place for themselves in the markets of the world or in native 

 industries have been discussed. The number of plants from 

 which valuable fibers could be obtained is very large. A recent 

 account of the fiber plants of the Philippines mentions 750 

 such plants in the Philippines alone. An attempt to discuss 

 all of the plants from which fibers could be obtained would 

 make this chapter resemble a textbook of systematic botany 

 rather than a brief account of the fibers which are really of 

 importance in the world's commerce. 



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