76 



TEXTILE FIBRES. 



Fig. 46. Capsules of Red Cotton Silk 

 (Bombax malabaricum). 



be further utilised in the blending of fibres in the manufacture of, say, 



eider down quilts, or some other fabrics. 



The red silk fibres, as seen under the microscope, are narrow, thin, 



short, and transparent. 



Fig. 48 is a photo-micrograph of the fibres. Structural!}', they are 



flattened and tapering, but as- 

 they dry there is a tendency 

 to curl up. If this curliness 

 was more marked, the fibres 

 might be used for felting 

 purposes. These vegetable 

 fibres will take a good dye, 

 and could perhaps be incor- 

 porated with silk fibres for use 

 in some of the cheaper kinds 

 of quasi silk fabrics. 



Silk Grass (Cuba) (Furcrea 

 cubensis, Bromeliacese). The 

 fibres of silk grass have been 



used for rope-making, and at one time it competed with those of Sisal 



hemp. The plant is the " Silk Grass " of commerce, and the Furcrea 



of botanists. 



The leaves are spathu- 



late or somewhat ensiform 



in shape, with sharp points, 



saw-toothed margins, and 



a parallel venation. The 



Furcrea is not really a 



grass, but an aloe-like 



plant of the Order Brom- 

 eliacese. It is a native of 



South America and was 



introduced into this country 



in 1739. The leaves ex- 

 ceed 5 or 6 feet in length. 



The fibre was valued some 



years ago at '27 per ton. 



Fig. 49 is from a photo- 

 graph of Furcrea cubensis 



in the Succulent House at Kew. It shows the parallel veined structure 



and serratures. 



Vegetable Hair, Spanish Moss (Tillandsia -usneoides, Bromeliacea3). 



Fig. 47. Flossy fibres of Red Cotton Silk. 



