BRUSH AND MAT MATERIALS. 145 



afterwards softened by many layers of Bamboo leaf, and if not very 

 downy, they were dry and as firm as if put together with screws and 

 joints." 



The stems of Bamboo, when spliced, are known in the brush trade as 

 the Bamboo fibre. The fibres used are about -J of an inch in width and 

 6 or 7 inches in length. They have a good elastic bending property, 

 and are of a straw colour. The lengths are varied to suit the require- 

 ments of the trade. This material is also known to the trade as "Patent 

 Bass." These fibres will take a good dye with little or no damage to 

 the fibre itself. They are very strong, four tests giving the following 

 results, viz., 25, 45, 35, 20 Ibs. 



Bass, Monkey, or Grass, Leopoldinia Piassava or Para Piassava 

 (Attalea piassifera, Palmacese). This useful palm grows in the 

 Brazils. It is remarkable for its persistent petiole bases, which 

 often terminate in long and pendulous appendages of bristle-like 

 fibres. 



Fig. 95 is a young plant of Leopoldinia, probably the piassava of 

 commerce. The bristle-like fibres are combed out and then cut off from 

 the young plants. The fibres are used as a substitute for bristles by 

 brushmakers, and are made up into stout brooms and cylinder sweeping 

 brushes. The plant grows from 20 to 30 feet high, in dense tropical 

 forests. 



Fig. 96 is an illustration of Monkey Bass fibres, just as they are 

 received at the brush factory. These fibres are of a faint russet-brown 

 colour and remarkably flaccid. They vary from 2 to 5 feet in length ; 

 in form they are rather angular, longitudinally striated, and tapering 

 to a thin point, from a pretty broad base. The tapering is considerable, 

 as the illustration shows. The fruit of this plant is the Coquilla nuts 

 of commerce, while the pericarps have been used for making umbrella 

 handles. 



The values of Monkey Bass or Para Piassava was quoted by Messrs. 

 Ide& Christie on 19th April 1899 as follows : " Para only a small 

 business passing values fairly steady. Medium, 30s. to 32s. Damp 

 ordinary, 32s. to 34s. Fair to good, 35s. to 38s." 



Good fibres of Para have a strong and wiry feel, are fuscous in 

 colour, and according to tests made by Mr. G. H. Hurst, F.C.S., of 

 Manchester, the breaking strain varies from 2 to 25 Ibs. 



Bass, Madagascar, or Vonitra (Dictyosperma fibrosum, Palmacese). 

 The fibres obtained from Dictyosperma are round, tapering, thread-like 

 in appearance and of a deep brown colour. They are moderately strong, 

 and when stretched to an undue extent break with a fair amount of 

 elasticity. The fibres vary in length from 1 to 2, 3, or 4 feet, 



10 



