(26) 



is mainly given over to exhibits other than foods, fibers, 

 drugs, and woods. The east hall contains the drugs, 

 while to the east wing are assigned woods and wood-pro- 

 ducts, and a collection illustrating North American den- 

 drology. 



Fibers. Cases I to 26. — In the first case of the series 

 devoted to fibers may be found cotton, now the most im- 

 portant of the vegetable fibers. It is derived from the 

 fruit of the cotton plant (Gossypium), being the hairs that 

 cover the surface of the seeds. The fruits from several 

 different kinds of cotton-plants may be seen with the cotton 

 bursting from the capsule, while some of the many dif- 

 ferent products are also shown. 



The fiber of other plants, derived from leaves, stem, bark, 

 roots, and other organs is of great economic importance 

 and is used, either in practically its natural condition, as 

 may be seen by the specimens of fans, hats, boxes, bags, 

 baskets, mats, matting, crude ropes, brooms, ornaments, 

 and toys; or it is manufactured into articles of commerce 

 after processes which remove it considerably from its 

 natural aspect or condition; for example, linen, which is 

 made from the flax plant; cloth, twine, and rope, made 

 from jute, hemp and abutilon-fiber; and paper made from 

 wood and other fibers. 



Rubber and Allied Products. Cases 27 and 29. — The 

 first case in the west wing contains rubber and allied 

 products. Here are the implements and utensils used in 

 collecting the rubber "milk" from the trees which grow 

 in tropical forests. Rubber is derived mostly from trees 

 belonging to the mulberry family, spurge family and dog- 

 bane family. Rubber, India-rubber, or elastica consists 

 chiefly of the peculiar substance caoutchouc, which, in the 

 form of an emulsion, constitutes the milky juices of many 

 plants, existing in special milk-tubes of the bark and wood. 

 The bark is cut or punctured, when the milk exudes and is 

 caught in some receptacle. The milk is coagulated by 

 various methods, mostly by subjecting it to the action of 



