526 USEFUL PLANTS AND PLANT PRODUCTS 



6. PLANT FIBERS AND RELATED PRODUCTS 



503. Fibrous materials for use in spinning into thread, cord- 

 age, and rope, also for braiding and weaving, are obtained from 

 many parts of the plant body. Some of the most useful of 

 these, such as flax and hemp, are derived from the hard bast, 

 others, as cotton, consist of plant hairs, and others still rep- 

 resent various structural elements of the plant. 



A large proportion of the fibrous materials in general use 

 comes from monocotyledonous plants of several families. 



FIG. 389. A Georgia cotton field 

 After Frye 



Several sedges of the genus Cyperus furnish materials for 

 weaving, and East Indian and Chinese mattings are made from 

 species cultivated for the purpose. 



The straw of various grains is employed for braiding into 

 baskets, mats, hats, and other articles. A coarse grass known 

 as esparto is largely exported from Spain and the North African 

 coast for use in paper making and for other purposes. 



Many palms produce valuable fiber ; that of the husk of the 

 cocoanut is largely used for cordage, mats, brushes, and similar 

 articles. 



