DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 105 



that the hopes expressed by previous writers and by myself that the maildr would 

 be one of the best fiber producers of this country will never be realized. Its fiber 

 is certainly fine, strong, white, and silky, and could doubtless be extracted in a mer- 

 chantable condition (though none of the machines tested by me produced any good 

 results with it), but the obstacles to its profitable utilization on a large scale out- 

 weigh its natural good qualities : (1) The very small proportion of the fiber to weight 

 of the stems, the proportion being only 1.56 per cent ; and (2) the shortness of the 

 fibers, extending as they usually do from joint to joint, the joints being from 3 to 8 

 inches apart. These two chief obstacles are sufficient to justify a withdrawal of the 

 maddr from the list of hopeful fiber-bearing plants of India. (L. Liotard, in Die. 

 Ec. Prod. Ind.). 



Surface Fiber. — The cotton-like substance derived from the pods is similar to 

 the silky hairs of the common milkweed, though coarser and less silky. The sub- 

 stance shown in the Javanese exhibit was erroneously stated to have been derived 

 from this species. The Javanese name of the fiber was kapok, and the kapok of 

 Java is the product Eriodendron anfractuosum. The cottony fiber of C. gigantea is 

 said to have been manufactured into shawls and handkerchiefs, but it hardly 

 possesses sufficient strength to be spun alone. I am aware, however, that a soft 

 kind of a cloth has been made from the "down" of this tree. Dr. Walker, prison 

 superintendent, Agra, sent to the London Exhibition of 1862 three specimens of this 

 cloth, as follows: Made entirely of muddr floss; made of one part cotton and one 

 part floss ; and made of three parts cotton and one part floss. A rug made of the 

 floss was also exhibited. It has also been used in the manufacture of paper. There 

 are several other species of plants belonging to the Asclepiadacea •, that are known to 

 the vegetable economy as fiber producers, and found chiefly in the Old World. 



The maddr is not alone a fiber plant, as it produces gutta-percha, varnish, dye, medi- 

 cine, and a liquor, and besides it is useful in the domestic economy. 



Savorgnan mentions C. procera, the fiber of which presents some of the character- 

 istics of the above. 



Camelina sativa. 



Exogen. Cruciferw. Annual herb, 2 feet. 

 " Cultivated in middle and southern Europe and in temperate Asia for its fiber, 

 but especially for its oil" (Spon). There are several European and North American 

 species of this genus. "The stems of C. sativa contain a considerable proportion of 

 fiber, and are commonly used for making brooms in many parts of Europe" {A. 

 Smith). It is sometimes known as false flax and is a bad weed in some places. It 

 produces a bast fiber. 



Camelote, or Gamelote (Venez.). Panicum myurus. 



Camona (Peru). Iriartea deltoidea. See also Ma,stinazia. 



Canamo (Peru). Cannabis sativa. 



Canapa (It.). See Cannabis sativa. 



Canapaccia (It.). See Artemisia vulgaris. 



Canapina (S. Am.). See Abutilon avicennw. 



Candee rush (Vict.). See Juncus effusus. 



Cane, The Rattan (see Calamus rotang, and Calamus rudentum). 



Cane fiber (IT. S.). See Arundinaria tecta. 



Canna (It.). 



"Carina da stuoje," etc., cane for mats. "Common generic name for a great many 

 plants of the Graminew, more or less marshy in their growing localities, especially 



