CHAPTER VII. 



THE EXAMINATION OF TEXTILE FIBRES. 



I. The Kinds of Textile Fibres. — ^The word fibre is 

 derived from the Latin fibra, and signifies "a thread 

 or filament." The most primitive application of natural 

 fibrous materials to textile purposes is probably in the 

 use of grasses and osiers for weaving. At a very early 

 period, however, primitive man learned to manipulate 

 fibres of a closer texture in the manufacture of coarse 

 cloth. The long, fine hairs of plants and animals among 

 many races must early have attracted attention; thus 

 the application of cotton and wool dates back from be- 

 yond recorded history. In Egypt the use of the fibrous 

 bast-layer from the stem of the flax-plant appears to have 

 antedated even that of cotton. According to Chinese 

 tradition, the application of the secretion of the silkworm 

 to textile purposes was made by the first empress of the 

 nation. To-day, four classes of fibres — cotton, the prin- 

 cipal vegetable hair; flax, hemp, jute, ramie, and sisal, 

 all typical bast-fibires; wool and a few less well known 

 animal hairs; and silk — still make up the textiles of 

 most importance. The leaves of certain plants furnish 



filaments essentially similar to the bast-fibres mentioned 



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