250 
(2.) Balloon, fomes by the older libre which has fallen to the ground 
n se of the trun 
(3) Piassava Tolho, or ‘eye "Pia ssava,’ which is the latest growth, 
and is in all respects nyi to that yielded by the 
‘ Ban vas 
“The Piassava d’olho, by reason of its flexibility and colour, is used 
chiefly for sais up and embellishing the bales. Its yield is always 
small, being about 15 to 17 per at of the total ‘pull’ of the tree, 
which is from 35 to 5 iao (1 arroba=324} lbs.) on a fully grown 
ree. 
“The palm grows in the neighbourhood of rivers, and on land that 
is always in a half s swampy condition, being below the flood mark in the 
iny season. ey are erect trees, ApEn ted by a crown of large 
‘t pinnatisect Sia (between which the spathes appear); flowers, yel- 
‘ lowish, succeeded by ovate or elliptical fruits (drupes), of a brown or 
* greeni nish brown colour.’ The hard thick shell of the nut contains 
two oleaginous edible seeds, and is enclosed in a thin polished fibrous 
case which is capped at the base like the acorn. The campos, as a 
rule, are not liable to flood, but lying as they do surrounded by swampy 
-a the gar of moisture are fulfilled in which it is necessary 
the to flourish. The mean temperature of the Piassava 
en is asa 77° F. On reaching the se e six to nine years, the 
palm begins to bear fibre fit to pull. The sent mode of obtaining 
it is to cut the tree down, and pull the fibre Pais the trunk afterwards, 
a very oo proceeding, considering the time the fallen nuts take to 
e and grow into bearing trees, The base of the petiole of the 
leaf motes round the trunk (as can be seen in many other palms) like 
a sort of fibrous wrapper which splits in the course of the trunk’s 
growth, and falls over on either side. The petiole contains two trans- 
“ From this it will be seen that the fineness or coarseness of the fibre 
depends largely on its beter p in the petiole, the coarsest fibre lying 
closest to the midrib, 
“ Two siete kinds of Piassava. 
“There are two kinds of Piasfava used in commerce: the round, 
stiffish fire from the districts I have mentioned, which is shipped from 
Bahia, is known as ‘ Bahia Piassava’ (Attalea Fangere ‘a); and that 
collected. 2 the Amazons and the Rio Negro, shipped andos, 
Para, and tel as ‘Para Piassava aiana Piassaba, 
Wallace, ‘Palm trees of the Amazon,’ p.17). This latter is flat, soft, 
and flexible, aeea differing from V Bakia’ fibre, and commanding 
on occasions — times its price, which at present stands at 387. for 
g 
“In Brazil, these fibres are used for cables, ropes, baskets, hats, 
tieing, fencing, and many other purposes; but in this country, and in 
est po solely for brush and broom work, by itself and mixed with 
other 
“The nuts of the ef carry are exported to Europe for the manu- 
facture of buttons, knobs, & 
“ Method of Coltection and Preparation for the Market. 
“Immediately after the exploration — very gore adori 
to discover crops which will repay the cutting, i ecessary t 
