71 
sugar palm also furnish terial for rope that is highly resistant 
to the action of salt water. To a less degree the fibers surround- 
ing the trunk are suitable for bristles of brush 
The coconut-palm may be mentioned here riety its fiber products. 
fibers 
The nipa palm (Nipa fructicans) plays an important part in 
the industrial life of the Filipinos, as it is the principal source for 
the nufacture of alcohol. Its leaves are used even more 
ere than those of the coconut-palm for thatching. 
Some slight use is made of the splints and midribs obtained from 
the petioles and leaves. 
n former times, hats were made in the Philippines from fine 
splints obtained from species of rattan, especially Calamus mollis. 
ow the weaving of rattan splints into hats has been almost 
abandoned because of the difficulty in preparing fine splints 
from the stem and the skill required in weaving the short fibers 
into a hat. Besides, weaving can only be done, when the air is 
sufficiently moist. The hats are beautiful and durable and are 
g n 
native rattan chair industry in the Philippines. The chairs are 
patterned after Vienna chairs 
SCREW-PINES 
Growing usually in profusion along the littoral of the Philip- 
pines is the common screw-pine, Pandanus tectorius. Very little 
use is made however of its fiber, although it seems that the 
fo) 
florescence of this pandan has ever been found and so paae 
