TEXTILE FIBRES. 



foliage leaves. In this case they appear to be sessile, ovate, acute at the 

 apex, serrated at the margins, and with pinnate or feathered venation. 



Fig. 12 shows a mature female hemp plant. The fruit and seeds are 

 borne in the axils of the cauline leaves which are digitately segmented, 

 and distinctly stalked, and are arranged decussately. 



Hempen window-cord is often suddenly snapped after having been in 

 use for some time. The strands of fibres are broken abruptly, as though 



chopped or cut with a sharp 

 instrument. Each of the 

 strands has been made up 

 probably of similar individual 

 yarns, then doubled together 

 into one yarn ; but with all 

 this extra doubling, the bend- 

 ing of the strands is ungrace- 

 ful, and considerable friction 

 and wear takes place as a 

 result. 



According to M'Culloch, 

 the principal advantage of 

 hempen cloth over that of 

 linen is that the colour im- 

 proves in the wearing qualities 

 in the former, while it de- 

 teriorates in the latter. It is 

 stronger and more coarse than 

 flax fibres. Prof. A. H. Church 

 says : " The chief constituent 

 of the fibre of hemp is, of 

 course, cellulose, but small 

 quantities of other substances 

 are always present, the purest 

 sorts, however, being richest 

 in cellulose. 



A fine sample of Italian hemp gave on analysis the following 

 percentages : water, 8'9 ; wax, 0'6 ; ash, 0'8 ; matters soluble in water, 

 3-5 ; lignose, albuminoids, etc., 8'4 ; cellulose, 77'8. An ordinary sample 

 of Russian hemp contained no less than 10 '5 per cent, of moisture and 1'5 

 of mineral matter, with but 72 of pure cellulose. By boiling a portion 

 of this sample for four hours with water in a sealed tube at 150 C. a 

 soluble extract amounting to y^th of the original hemp was obtained, 

 Manila hemp giving 15*4 per cent., and Phormium fibre no less than 



Fig. 11. Hemp seedling. 



