316 USEFUL FIBER PLANTS OF THE WORLD. 



for clothing by some of the native races." (Spon.) George Watt states that the inner 

 hark yields a liber used for tying rafters or native houses, for binding loads, and in 

 Assam for coarse cloth. 



Trema wightii, regarded as a synonym, is included in Spon's list under the name 

 Sj)onia wightii, and known commonly as Chitrang. "This plant is a native of India, 

 being especially abundant in the Concans. The fibrous bark, or bast, occurs in strips 

 12 to 30 inches lon,<r. 3 to 15 feet wide, and 0.0039 to 0.03 inch thick. It is used not 

 only as bast, but also in the manufacture of cordage. This liber is said to be util 

 izedin Mauritius and Venezuela." (Spon.) A species of Trema is valued for its fibrous 

 bast in Argentina. (See Ccllis orientalis.) 



Triodia irritans. 



An Australian species, known as porcupine grass, that has been recommended as 

 a paper plant. It is not noted, however, in Guilfoyle's list. 



Tristachya leiostachya. 



Endogen. Graminece. 

 Lofgren states that this is considered in Sao Paulo, Brazil, an excellent forage for 

 all sorts of animals and is eaten with avidity. At the summit of the stalk, as far as 

 the flower, it contains a quantity of pure cellulose. Grows in fields; flowers in May 

 to August: might be useful for paper. 



Trithrinax brasiliensis. 



A Brazilian low-growing palm, native of the province of Rio Grande: found also 

 in Entre Rios and Corrientes, Argentina, where liber from the leaves is made into 

 brooms, fans, and other articles. 



T. campestris, which is grown in San Luis and Cordoba. Argentina, is used for basket 

 work, fans, etc. T. mauritiaformis is a New Granada species. 



Triticum sativum. Cultivated Wheat. 



This with its many varieties which have been produced by cultivation is one of the 

 most, if not the most, important of the true grasses. It is one of the oldest of the 

 cultivated cereals, the grains having been found in very ancient Egyptian monu- 

 ments, dating back to 2.500 to 3,000 B. C. (F. Lamsou-Scribner.) 



Structural Fiber. — The straw of several varieties of wheat, including the 

 variety cestivum, is used in many countries for the manufacture of braids, or straw 

 plait. The finest braids, which come from Italy, and which include the celebrated 

 Tuscan plait, from Florence, are produced from varieties of wheat cultivated 

 especially for the straw and without regard to the grain. Wheat straw is likewise 

 used for braids in other countries of southern Europe and in Germany, the Bohe- 

 mian braids also being well known. Some wheat straw braid is also produced in 

 China. The straw-plait industry of Europe gives employment to thousands of 

 people, not only in the countries where the straw is produced, but in England, 

 Switzerland, and other countries which purchase the product for manufacture into 

 hats. 



Tuscany formerly sent abroad the finished hats, but now the export is largely in 

 the form of braid. The first fine Tuscan hats sent to England were those worn by 

 tbe peasants, and they are still in common use in Tuscany. The work of braid- 

 ing is largely done by women and children and is, to that extent, a household 

 industry. It is easily accomplished, though practice from childhood has produced 

 some very expert braid makers In the Manual Hoepli, M. A. Savorgnan gives a 

 most interesting account of the Italian straw-plait industry, from which extracts are 

 reproduced. 



The variety of grain which is employed is the so-called Marzuoto ( Triticum sativum 

 rar. trimestre), of which there are two subvarieties. The one is very prolific in seed, 

 and is adapted for rather meager soil; the other has less and smaller seed, but it is 

 very fertile. They are. however, rather changeable types, as they easily merge into 



