NOVEMBER 5, 1897. ] 
hemp, from Yucatan; manilla hemp, from 
the Philippine Islands, ete. 
Two classifications of fibers are presented, 
structural and economic. 
The first is as follows : 
A. FIBRO-VASCULAR STRUCTURE. 
1. Bast fibers (of dicotyledons). 
2. Woody fibers (of dicotyledons), from 
(a) twigs and small stems, used entire, 
(6) roots, (¢) trunks split or cut into 
layers or splints, (d) trunks ground 
into pulp. 
3. Structural fibers from (a) the isolated 
fibro-vascular bundles of the leaves and 
leaf stalks of monocotyledons, (6) the 
whole stems, roots or leaves of mono- 
cotyledons, (c) the fibrous portions of 
the leaves or fruits of certain dicotyle- 
dons. 
B. SmreLe CELLULAR STRUCTURE. 
4. Surface fibers, including (a) hairs on 
seeds, (0) hairs from stem surfaces, and 
(c) epidermal strips from leaves, as of 
certain palms. 
5. Pseudo-fibers, including (a) certain 
mosses, aS species of sphagnum, (6) 
certain seaweeds used for packing, (c) 
certain seaweeds for cordage, (d) the 
mycelium of certain fungi. 
Economically, fibers are classified as fol- 
lows: 
A. Spinning fibers, including (1) fabric 
fibers, (2) netting fibers, (3) cordage 
fibers. 
B. Tie material. 
C. Natural textwres, including (1) tree basts 
with tough interlacing fibers, as in the 
“lace barks,’ (2) ribbon or layer basts, 
(8) imterlacing structural fibers or 
sheaths, as cocoanut sheaths. 
D. Brush fibers, including (1) prepared fi- 
bers from isolated fibro-vascular bundles, 
(2) fibers from roots, flower pedicels, 
etc., (3) twigs and splints. 
SCIENCE. 
69 
E. Plaiting and rough weaving fibers, includ- 
ing those used for (1) making hats, san- 
dals, ete., (2) matting, thatching, etc., 
(3) baskets, (4) chair-bottoms, etc. 
F. Various forms of filling, as (1) stuffing for 
chairs, cushions, mattresses, etc., (2) 
caulking, (8) stiffening, e. g., in the 
manufacture of ‘ staff,’ (4) packing. 
G. Paper material, for making (1) textile 
papers, (2) bast papers, (3) palm papers, 
(4) bamboo and grass papers, (5) wood- 
pulp papers. : 
CHARLES E. Brssry. 
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. 
SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS. 
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 
THE Secretary of Agriculture has presented 
to the President his report reviewing the work 
of the Department for the past year. Thecon- 
duct of the Department under Secretary Wilson 
has greatly advanced the economic and scientific 
study of agriculture and the conditions on 
which agriculture depends, and the recom- 
mendations of his report will consequently 
carry much weight. 
Mr. Wilson proposes that agents for the De- 
partment should be stationed at each of the 
important American legations abroad for the 
collection of information of interest to American 
farmers. The Department is endeavoring to get 
information from foreign countries with which 
to compete in the markets of the world regard- 
ing crops and prices, and is also taking steps 
to ascertain what crops are grown on different 
thermal lines, so that seeds and plants may in- 
telligently be brought to this country to assist 
in the diversification of our crops and add to 
their variety. There is a necessity for Ameri- 
can agents, educated in agricultural science, in 
every foreign country to which are sent reports. 
Mr. Wilson recommends an increase in the 
appropriations in aid of the Bureau of Animal 
Industry, of the Weather Bureau and of the 
publication offices. He thinks the Department 
should be enabled to place the results of im- 
portant operations at agricultural colleges be- 
fore the entire country, so that the farmers of 
each State may benefit from the work done in 
