36 



USEFUL FIBER PLANTS OF THE WORLD. 



completely, notwithstanding the fact that a bounty was offered for the production 

 of the fiber. It was demonstrated at the time of these experiments that the plant 

 ■would thrive in any rich soil suitable for corn and potat 



Preparation. — The fiber can be disintegrated and separated from the stalks by 

 steeping in water, like rlax, hemp, or jute (as practiced in India . but such practice 

 should be avoided in this country if possible. At the time of the New Jersey experi- 

 ments it was thought that the question of economically cleaning the liber had been 



-The Indian ma] n avicenna. 



settled by the invention of a "combined chemical and mechanical process." There 

 is no doubt that a combined mechanical and chemical pr<>< ■ 3fi si be employed in 

 extracting all jutedike fibers, bnt the process must give straight liber, uninjured as 

 to strength, and with the natural color preserved. This mean- a machine that will 

 strip the bark and an after-pi at will remove the gams 



without weakening the liber. - ribbons in water for the requisite num- 



ber of days is the simplest form of accomplishing the result, but this is primitive. 



