xin.A, « King: Philippine Coir and Coir Cordage 289 



it is exceptionally tenacious ;2^ that it is resilient ;^2 that it is 

 one of the best fibers for ships' cables ;^^ and that it is partic- 

 ularly suited to withstand jerks,^* sudden heavy strains," and 

 mechanical wear.^^ 



The object of this paper is to present precise data on the 

 tensile strength, elongation, and elastic properties of Philippine 

 coconut fiber. Results given are on tests performed on single 

 filaments and on coir rope. It is believed that this is the first 

 time actual numerical data on the modulus of tensile elasticity 

 and on the tensile resilience of coir have been computed and 

 published. 



Coir is obtained from the husk, or pericarp (called "bonot" 

 in many Filipino dialects), of the fruit of the coconut palm. 

 In the Philippines, up to the present time, most husks have been 

 either burned as fuel or allowed to rot. No figures are available 

 as to the number annually worked for fiber, but the quantity is 

 small, and the industry has no commercial importance, in spite 

 of efforts made to encourage it. It has been estimated that 

 735,000,000 coconuts were gathered in the Philippine Islands 

 in. 1916, from the husks of which approximately 80,850 tons of 

 coir might have been realized, sufficient to make coir mats having 

 a wholesale value of 45,000,000 pesos. In southern India, Cey- 

 lon, Java, and the Malay Peninsula coir is the basis of a paying 

 industry. In these countries coir and coir products, in the form 

 of yarns, cordage, and mats, figure as articles of export. Java 

 and Singapore supply practically all of the coir doormats used 

 in the United States.^' 



The fiber of commerce, when not discolored, is usually sorted 

 by hackling or combing into three grades according to length 

 and fineness. Brush or bristle fiber is composed of the coarsest 

 and stiffest filaments and, as the name indicates, is used for 

 making brushes. They are very stiff and decidedly woody. Mat 

 fiber consists of the finer, soft, fragile, and hairlike filaments 

 used for spinning mat and rope yarns. Coir tow is used for 

 stuffings in upholstery. 



Extraction of the fiber. — The Filipinos extract the coir from 



"Matthews, loc. cit. ; Dodge, loc. cit.; Vetillart, loc. cit. 

 "Fraker, Philippine Craftsman (1915-1916), 4, 596-600. 

 " Matthews, loc. cit. ; Dodge, loc. cit. ; Watt, loc. cit. ; Fraker, loc. cit. 

 '* Copeland, loc. cit.; Fraker, loc. cit. 

 " Fraker, loc. cit. 

 ^ Matthews, loc. cit. 



"Commerce Reports. Washington, D. C. (July 14, 1917), No. 163, 

 pp. 164-165; Philip. Agr. Rev. (1918), 11, 7. 



