( 204 ) 
is mainly given over to exhibits other than foods, fibers, 
drugs, and woods. The east hall contains the drugs, 
while to the east wing are assigned woods and wood-pro- 
ducts, and a collection illustrating North American den- 
drology. 
Fibers. Cases 1 to 26.—In the first case of the series 
devoted to fibers may be found cotton, now the most im- 
portant of the vegetable fibers. It is derived from the 
fruit of the cotton plant (Gossypium), being the hairs that 
cover the surface of the seeds. The fruits from several 
different kinds of cotton-plants may be seen with the cotton 
bursting from the capsule, while some of the many dif- 
ferent products are also shown. 
The fiber of other plants, derived from leaves, stem, bark, 
roots, and other organs is of great economic importance 
and is used, either in practically its natural condition, as 
may be seen by the specimens of fans, hats, boxes, bags, 
baskets, mats, matting, crude ropes, brooms, ornaments, 
and toys; or it is manufactured into articles of commerce 
after processes which remove it considerably from its 
natural aspect or condition; for example, linen, which is 
made from the flax plant; cou twine, and rope, made 
from jute, hemp and abutilon-fiber; and paper made from 
wood and other fibers. 
Rubber and Allied Products. Cases 27 and 29.—The 
first case in the west wing contains rubber and allied 
products. Here are the implements and utensils used in 
collecting the rubber ‘‘milk” from the trees which grow 
in tropical forests. Rubber is derived mostly from trees 
belonging to the mulberry family, spurge family and dog- 
bane family. Rubber, India-rubber, or elastica consists 
chiefly of the peculiar substance caoutchouc, which, in the 
form of an emulsion, constitutes the milky juices of many 
plants, existing in special milk-tubes of the bark and wood. 
The bark is cut or punctured, when the milk exudes and is 
caught in some receptacle. The milk is coagulated by 
various methods, mostly by subjecting it to the action of 
