(25) 
534. Letchuguillas.—Hair stirrers made from the stem of a species of Agave and 
used by the Mexican natives. Acquired in 1901 by J. N. Rose. 
535-536. Coarser forms of the same. Same source and donor. 
537. Another sample. Presented by Mrs. N. L. Britton. 
538. Iris fiber—From the leaves of Iris macrosiphon Torrey. (Iridaceae—Iris 
Family). Native of California, and used by the Indians about Ft. Gaston 
in making baskets and rugs. Obtained by Valery Havard, Aug. 4, 1880. 
THE BANANA FAMILY (Musaceae) 
539. Abaca or Manila hemp.—A hard fiber made from the leaf-sheaths of the 
Abaca plant, Musa textilis Neé. Native of the Malay region. Used in 
making heavy rope and better grades of twine. Presented by the U. S. 
Dept. of Agriculture. 
540. The same, from the Philippine Islands. Presented by Theodore Miller. 
541. Another sample of same. Same donor. 
542. The same, from the Philadelphia Museums. 
543. The same, from Travers Bros., of New York City. 
544. Manila rope. Made of the preceding fiber. Same donor. 
545. Manila binder twine. Binder twine made from the same fiber. Same donor. 
546. Manila rope, 2 inches in diameter, from same. Same donor. 
547- Drilling cable from same. Used in oil-well and other drilling. Same donor. 
548. Maranta fiber hat.—Its outer layer made of the split stems of Clinogyne 
dichotoma (Roxb.) Benth. (Marantaceae—Arrow-root Family.) Native of 
the East Indies. 
549. Trao fiber.—The fiber of the leaves of Dendrobium crumenatum Sw. © (Orchi- 
daceae—Orchid Family.) Native of the Philippine Islands. Presented by 
Theodore Miller. 
550. Willow strips——From the outer portion of the stems of a species of Salix or 
willow (Salicaceae—Willow Family). Native of the southwestern United 
States. Used by the Pima Indians in basket making. Acquired in Arizona 
in 1902 by D. T. MacDougal. 
THE MULBERRY FAMILY (Moraceae) 
Hemp anv Its Propucts 
Hemp is the bast-fiber of the bark of the stem of Cannabis 
sativa L. native of Asia and widely cultivated for various 
purposes. ‘This variety has been developed for the special 
value of its fiber. The stem is put through a variety of 
processes which break up and remove the central cylinder 
of woody tissue and which combs and shakes out the outer 
bark and other cellular portions. The fiber then remaining 
is still further cleaned and carded into its fine strands, 
which can be spun into yarn, used in the manufacture of 
twine, rope, bags, nets, matting and many similar articles. 
