70 TEXTILE FIBRES. 



freely in sheltered situations in the Royal Gardens. The stock plant 

 from which the above photograph was taken was in splendid condition 



Fig. 43. Adam's Needle (Yucca gloriosa). 



and exceeded 5 feet in height. Evidently the plant has been a long 

 resident in the gardens, and its habit of flowering in the open air will 

 interest provincial botanists who find time to visit Kew. 



VEGETABLE SILK. 



Introduction This is chiefly obtained from the seed-coverings of 

 certain trees and plants having plumose hairs or seed-coverings. The 

 hairs are very fine, with a lustre that almost equals that of silk, but the 

 staples are short, incohesive, and of weak textures. 



The hairs are cylindrical, flattened, translucent, and entire on the 

 margins, with an absence of scales, serratures, or dentations of any kind. 

 The silky hairs of some species, e.g., Kapok, are pappus-like, and form 

 means of dispersion of the fruits. They have a coherent base, which is 

 an obstacle to its being spun, if only from the unequal length of the 

 parachute tuft of silk-like fibres. Attempts have been made to use the 

 fibres for spinning and upholstery purposes. 



Of the different plants characterised by their silky hair fibres, 

 the following may be mentioned, viz. : The Swallow- wort of North 

 America, Kapok, Mudar, Silk Grass or Pita Fibre, Red Silk Cotton or 

 Semal Cotton, Cuba Silk Grass, Vegetable Hair, Vegetable Silk. 



