308 USEFUL FIBER PLANTS OF THE WORLD. 



Commercial ASPE< rs. — According to Ide & Christies London Circular for July 

 1, 1896, over 200,000 tons of Esparto was imported into the United Kingdom during 

 the year, worth from £3 to£5 per ton. No large quantities, however, are hrought to 

 this country, as the value of Esparto and other grasses imported for paper stock for 

 the year ending June. 1895, reached only about $1,500. For further accounts, see Rept. 

 U. S. Dept. Ag., 1868: Spon's Enc. Div. III. 



Stipa spp. 



S. semibarbata is a native of Tasmania. Spon states that ''alter the seed lia-- 

 ripened the upper part of the stem breaks into the fiber, which curls loosely and 

 hangs down. The quality of fiher in this state must he inferior to what it would 

 become under proper treatment."' 



S. gigantea is a closely allied but taller species, confined to Spain and Portugal. 

 In Australia occur S. setacea. S. pubescens, and S. micrantha; in Argentina several other 

 species are found, hut they are not especially regarded for their liber. 



Stout spike-rush. Eleocharis sphacelata. 



Stramanthe sanguinea (see Maranta). 

 Straw plait, Commercial. 



The art of plaiting straw, the stems of grasses, and the leaves of palms and simi- 

 lar plants is almost as old as the human race, for plaiting was practiced before 

 weaving, and became known when primitive man laid oft* the skins of animals for 

 clothing and adopted tissues made from animal and vegetable libers. Commercial 

 straw plait, however, is understood to mean material produced by braiding the split 

 stems of wheat, rye. barley, and rice, these braids or plaits being employed in the 

 manufacture of hats. 



The finest straw plait is the Italian or Tuscan, and is largely produced from wheajt 

 straw. Bohemian straw plait is also made from wheat straw. In Japan and China, 

 rice straw is largely used for this purpose, though considerable barley straw is also 

 utilized. In our own country the braiding of straw has been an industry in past 

 time, though chiefly prepared by the women of the household: and as late as thirty 

 or forty years ago it was quite an industry in "Massachusetts. The large manufac- 

 turers of straw goods in this country, however, rely upon the imported article for 

 their plait. The principal countries producing commercial straw plait are Italy, 

 France, Germany. Austria, China, and Japan. For further information see Triti- 

 cum vulgare, Harden m distichum, Secale cereale, and Orrj:« sotiva in this work, 

 also Poapralensis and Sporobolus indieus, among grasses used for the same purpose. 



"Specimens of straw plait, in series, are shown in the museum of the Department 

 of Agriculture. 



Streaked lantern flower. Abutilon striatum. 



Streblus asper. 



Exogen. Urticacece. A rigid shrub, or gnarled tree. 



Native names. — Op-nai Burm. : Geta-nelul (Ceyl. ij Ton Klioi (Siam). 



Widely distributed throughout India. Ceylon, and tropical Asia, and known under 

 many native names. 



Bast Fiber. — From the bark is obtained a fiber similar to that from llroussonttia 

 papyri/era, from which paper is made in Siam. The process of manufacture is sim- 

 ple. The smaller branches of the tree are cut, and steeped in water for two or three 

 days. The bark is then stripped off, and brought in bundles and sold to persons who 

 make the paper. The bunches of bark are put in water for two or three days by the 

 paper maker, and, having been cleansed from dirt, are taken out and steamed over a 

 slow lire for two days, a little clean stone lime being sprinkled through the bark. 

 It is then steeped in water in earthen jars, and more lime is added. After a few 



