268 DESCKIPTIVE BOTANY. 



obtained from the M. textilis, thus far has been grown in the southern Philip- 

 pines. Attempts have been made to grow it in other localities without 

 much success. It is now cultivated in India and other parts of the south 

 of Asia. 



Etymology. — Textilis, the specific name, is from the Latin texo, weave, 

 alluding to the use made of the fiber obtained from it. Manilla, the popular 

 name, is due to the seaport of that name, from which most of the fiber and its 

 products are exported. 



History. — When this plant was first introduced into domestic economy, or 

 when it assumed a commercial importance, is not known. The first recorded 

 export was in 1850, and in 1856, 600,000 pounds were sent from three ports in 

 the Philippines, three fourths of which came to the United States. In 1 880 

 45,584,000 pounds reached England, a large part of which came thence to 

 America. The amount used is rapidly increasing, and the uses to which it is 

 applied are multiplying. 



Preparation and Use. — Manilla is the prepared fiber of the musa. The 

 plant is cut when eighteen months old. Just before it flowers, the leaves are 

 removed ; the stem is then opened lengthwise, and the flower-stalk, which 

 forms a central column, is removed. From this, three successive coats of fiber 

 are taken. The outer coat is the coarsest, and furnishes the material for 

 making ropes, cordage, coarse bags, and mats. The next coat is of finer 

 texture, and is used for manufacturing cloths and paper. The third and 

 inner fiber is much more delicate than the outer coatings, and of it are made 

 the finest fabrics, elegant shaAvls, and material for soft and delicate under- 

 clothing. Ropes and cordage made of the fiber of the outer coating are one 

 fourth stronger than when made of the best hemp. 



The fiber is prepared by bruising it between rollers in a mill ; it is then 

 boiled in large coppers, — potash, soda, or lime having been added to the water 

 to remove the mucilage. It is taken from the coppers and hung up over 

 manilla ropes on bamboo poles to dry. It is then beaten or combed, when it 

 is fit for market or the factory. The three different sorts are kept separate. 

 Formerly the preparation was all done by hand, but machinery is now 

 employed, which does the work much better. Mixed with silk or cotton, it 

 makes a very fine fabric. 



Order LVI. BROMELIACE^. 



Flowers perfect, usually regular, occasionally irregular, spiked, 

 racemed, or panicled. Perianth inferior or superior, 6-parted, in two 

 series, the outer series or calyx leaf -like, one sometimes shorter ; inner 

 whorl or corolla petioled, more or less coherent, twisted in the bud. 

 Stamens 6, variously arranged ; filaments subulate, dilated at the base, 

 free or connate ; anthers introrse. Ovary inferior, sometimes supe- 

 rior, 3-celled ; style simple, 3-cornered, occasionally 3-parted ; stigmas 3. 

 Fruit a 3-celled berry, or capsule ; seeds numerous. Leaves mostly all 

 at the base of the stem, or scape ; sheathing stiff, channelled ; margin 

 armed with spines, or toothed ; epidermis clothed with scale-like hairs. 

 Herbaceous, and occasionally woody plants, mostly without stems, 

 sometimes epiphytic. Root perennial. 



No. of principal genera, 27 ; species, 350 ; warm parts of America. 



