15G PINE-APPLE FIBRE, ETC. 



which fibrous substances may be obtained, adapted to various uses in 

 society, published so far back as 1810, gives some very interesting details 

 respecting experiments he made with various species of Bromelia. He 

 found, he says, on comparing the fibre of the leaves of the common pine 

 apple (A. saliva') with that of many other indigenous plants, that it was the 

 strongest and finest, and adapted to the manufacture of cloth even of 

 superior quality. He took the leaves of two of these plants, which weighed 

 fourteen pounds, beat them with mallets, washing those portions which 

 had been beat ; they yielded rather more than a quarter of a pound of 

 thread. The operation lasted nine hours, being performed by one person. 

 It is bleached with great ease. 



The Malays manufacture a flimsy cambric from the fibre, which is so 

 extremely fine that it can be compared only to the spider's web. 



A variety, termed by Arruda Bromelia variegata, and known under the 

 name of Caroa, possesses useful properties as a fibrous plant. Many 

 leagues of land are covered with it in the province of Pernambuco ; and 

 there are situations, Koster informs us, which are so completely overspread 

 with it that the ground cannot be passed over. This occurs in many parts 

 of Curinatau and of Cariri de Fora. The inhabitants of the banks of the 

 river St. Francisco weave their fishing nets of the fibres of the leaves. 

 These fibres are so tough, that from them cordage may be made, and even 

 coarse cloth, if care be taken in preparing the thread. 



There are two methods pursued — 1st. Having taken the leaf from the 

 plant (which is easily done), the convex side of it should be clipped at the 

 bottom with a knife, and with the other hand the fibres pulled out, some 

 force being necessary. They will bring with them a quantity of vegetable 

 liquid, with which the pulp is soaked. The fibre which is thus extracted is 

 green, and it is necessary to wash it for the purpose of cleaning it. 2nd 

 mode. The leaves, when taken from the plant, are tied up in bundles and 

 thrown into water, where they remain for four or five days ; they are then 

 taken out and beaten in bunches, that the hammers or mallets may not cut 

 the fibres. 



This operation being insufficient to separate it from the pulp, the fibre is 

 again tied up in bundles, and steeped for two days or more, at the close of 

 which the beating is renewed. The bundles are a third time soaked and 

 beaten. After this the fibres are usually obtained clean, and should be 

 wound up and braided, so that they may not become entangled. Macera- 

 tion in stagnant water is more efficacious than in a cold running stream. 

 The fibre of this, like that of all other plants, is subject to rot, if it is left in 

 the water for any considerable time. The fibre of Bromelia Sagenaria possesses 

 somewhat similar properties to the foregoing. In Brazil rope is also ma- 

 nufactured from a species of the genus called " Grawartha," probably 

 B. Acanga. The leaves of another species of the genus, Bromelia Pinguin 

 (very common as a hedge or fence plant in the AVest Indies), when beaten 

 with a blunt mallet, and macerated in water, produce threads as fine or 

 finer than flax. These fibres can be manufactured into a beautiful fabric. 



