HEMP JUTE. 27 



fibres obtained from them, which are woven into a cloth of a strong and 

 durable nature. 



Jews Mallow (Corchorus clitoriits, Tiliaceae). The stem fibres of 

 this plant are obtained by retting and washing. Each bundle has 

 numerous cells. The plant is a native of India, bears bristly leaves and 

 yellow flowers ; was introduced into England in the sixteenth century, 

 and has been used for rope and cordage purposes. 



Jute, American (Abutilon, Malvaceae). The stems of most 

 malvaceous plants produce fibres in the bast region near the cortex or 

 bark. The real jute plants of commerce belong to the Natural Order 

 Tiliacese, the lime tree family. The American jute fibres of commerce 

 are not produced by the jute plant, but are obtained from aslant known 

 to botanists as the " Abutilon " or Chinese Lantern of the Natural Order 

 Malvaceae. This plant is grown in hothouses for its curious pendulous 

 turbinate flowers, of which there are numerous varieties. 



Jute, Common (Corchorus capsularis, Tiliacese). The East Indian 

 jute plant was first known to science in 1725. The plant is an annual, 

 and has been cultivated largely for the fibres obtained from the stems. 

 As soon as the stems are mature they are cut down, and the bast fibres 

 are stripped from the plant and dried in a very simple way in the sun. 



The fibres in a raw state are of a light brown colour, and are fine 

 and pliable. In spinning they would be repulsive, but the harshness is 

 taken out by immersing the raw jute in a solution of oil which renders it 

 pliable. 



Fig. 16 shows a fair sample of jute fibres in their raw state; there is 

 much variation in the colour of the jute and jute fibres. They are made 

 into ropes, twine of the commoner kinds, gunny-cloths and gunny-bags. 

 The fibres are also known under the name of oakum. The old ropes of 

 jute are cut into short lengths and sent to the Union Workhouses, where 

 the tramps of the casual and other wards have a certain number of 

 ounces of oakum to pick daily during their stay. 



In the cotton panic of Lancashire, 1862 to 1866, tons of this 

 material were picked in the workhouses of the cotton-spinning districts. 

 The worst feature of jute is that, if wetted, it soon becomes weak and 

 rotten. The fibres are several feet in length, have a satiny lustre, on 

 account of which they are sometimes used in the manufacture of the 

 cheaper silks. 



The plant is a dicotyledon, and the fibres are developed from 

 the bast region of the stem; hence they are regarded as stem fibres, 

 analogous to those obtained from flax, hemp, ramie, and lime. 



The yarns are used for the backing of hearthrugs, lining of ladies' 

 slippers, canvas, collars of gentlemen's coats, and burlaps for bales of jute, 



