424 THE FIBRES 01" TRINIDAD. 



4. Thick-walled cells require less tar or oil for their protection against 

 wet, &c. 



5. The proportion of oil or tar thus being greater in the thin-walled 

 fibres, for a given weight, the rope must be weaker, and the drying 

 oil or tar will cause the rope to break or wear sooner. This is, pro- 

 bably, at least part of the phenomenon, when it is asserted that tar 

 cuts the Manila rope quicker than hemp. 



Of the family of Anonaceaz, but one requires notice — viz. : 



118. Anona Makce. Cachiman, Cachiman grand bois. Bass, tissue dense, 

 cells 9 to 10 ; porous, thick-walled, tolerably long. The measures are 

 means, and signify 10,000$ of an inch, always in diameter. Abundant 

 in woods all over the island. 



Of the family of Tiliacece, we quote : — 



119. Apeiba Tibourba, Aubl. Bass. Cells short, porous, thick walls, 7. 

 Common in dry soils. 



120. Apeiba idmifolia, H.B. Bass. Cells 5. Short, not porous, or in- 

 distinctly common ; same localities as the last. 



121. Apeiba aspera, Aubl. Cells. Bass, short, thick-walled, porous, 

 hard, 10. Common dry soils. 



122. Triumfetta semitriloba, L. Flax, very fine, silky, cells thick. 

 Abundant. 



The family of Byttueriacea, furnishes the following : — 



123. Guazuma ulmifolia, L. Bastard Cedar. Bois de l'Orrne. Guacimo. 

 Bass, dense tissue. Cells not porous, thin-walled, 8. Thick, abundant. 



124. Theobroma Cacao, L. From the young shoots (choupons), which 

 annually spring from the lower part of the stem. Bass, dense tissue, 

 porous, thick-walled, cells 9. 



Next come the Sterculiacea : — 



125. Ochroma Lagopus, Sw. Bass, dense tissue, coarse fibre, bundles, 

 cells 9 to 10 ; porous, thick -walled. Abundant. 



126. Sterculia Caribbea. Bass, coarse, not very dense tissue, strongly 

 cohering bundles, fibres stiff and cells not very thick-walled, 7 to 10. 

 Abundant. 



The family which furnishes most, and the best fibre, is that of 

 Malvaceae : — 



127. Hibiscus rosa sinensis. Beautiful Bass, strong, white, flexible, not 

 thick-walled cells, and 4 to 6; not porous, but slightly spirally striped. 

 Cultivated everywhere, and may be said to grow wild. 



129. Hibiscus trilobus, Sw. Abundant. Flax, brownish, fibre-cells 

 thick-walled, porous, 4 to 5^. 



130. Hibiscus esculentus, Med. The common Ochro, Gombo, Chimbombo. 

 Flaxy, fine white, fibre-cells 8^ to 12,~long and not very thick-walled. 

 Common vegetable. 



131. Paritium Tiliaceum, A. Juss. Coarse Bass, dense tissue, cells thick- 

 walled, porous. 7. Abundant at the sea-side, particularly in sandy soils. 



132. Malachra capitata. Flaxy, white, flexible, silky, cells long, thick- 

 walled, not porous, 9 \ to 12. Common, but not so much so as — 



