THE FIBRES OF TRINIDAD. 419 



separates from the wood bundles, which, remain as a sort of bristle, more or 

 less coarse ; a common example of a similar substance is the piacaba., or 

 grass cable. 



99. Fibre Timite (Manicaria Saccifera, Gaertn). 



From both this and the last-named a coarse sort of rope is made. 



100. Bag, or Spatlie of Timite. 



The Spathe of palms in general is a large woody sort of envelope pro- 

 tecting the flowers in the bud. In some cases, it is considerably developed? 

 as in the Cocurito, and other Maxim ilianeae, where specinens eight feet 

 long, are not unusual. In our case, the spathe decays rapidly, and the 

 fibres only remain, and are resolved in a sort of network, used variously by 

 the natives as caps or niters, or pouches to keep seeds or such articles in. 



101. Vegetable Hair. (Tillandsia usneoides, L.) Bromeliaceae. Steamed 

 and dried. 



This plant, "depending to the length of several yards from the branches 

 of our loftiest trees, gives a peculiar aspect to the West Indian landscape. 

 It is used for upholstery. The sample sent has been steamed to insure its 

 retaining a fresh colour. Another fibrous substance is the Moriche, 117 ; 

 it is the tender leaf of Mauritia flexuosa, L., split up into small laminae by 

 twisting and rubbing them after having taken out the ribs ; it is worked up 

 into line, nets, and hammocks, which latter are very light, cool, and strong 



102 to 142 is a collection of Fibres, which are more or less suited for 

 textile fabrics or rope. Before entering into details, we shall enumerate 

 them according to their respective families : — 



102. Bromelia karatas, L. Bromeliaceae. Raw unmacerated Carata. 



103. Ditto. Macerated. 



104. Agave vivipara, L. Amaryllideee. Raw unmacerated. 



105. Ditto. Raw macerated. 



106. Sanseviera guineensis. Liliaceae. Raw unmacerated. 



107. Ditto ditto. Macerated. 



108. Ditto ditto. Boiled, unmacerated. 



109. Ditto ditto. Boiled, macerated. 



110. Sanseviera guineensis. Raw, macerated. 



111. Heliconia Binai. L. Musacese. Raw, macerated. Bijao balisier. 

 Wild cane. 



112. Musa rosacea, Jacq. Musaceae. Raw, macerated. 



113. Musa textilis. Nees. Raw, macerated. 



114. Musa sapientum. L. var. Jumbie Plantain. Raw, macerated. 

 Banane Zombi. Banane bornes. Fr. 



115. Musa sapientum, L. var. Large red Banane. Raw, macerated. 

 Banane Figue. Banane Figue rouge. Camburo. 



116. Musa paradisiaca, L. Common Plantain, raw and macerated. 

 Plantano, Sp. Bananier. Fr. 



117. Moriche {Mauritia flexuosa, L.) 



118. Anon. Mahce cochiman. Cachiman grande bois. Raw, mace- 

 rated. 



112 



