332 USEFUL FIBER PLANTS OF THE WORLD. 



Kmployed "by the Hopi Indians of Arizona for basketry, the name of the plant 

 being Samoa, the edible fruit, sahii, and the soapy root Samomobi. (FewJces.) 



Structural Fiber.— Both the leaves and the root of this species yield fiber 

 th.it has been employed by the Indians. The Museum collection contains several 

 examples of the fibrous root and prepared fiber from it ; also cordage, the most 

 interesting example being a coil of halt-inch rope from New Mexico. The fiber is 

 coarse and wiry, hut shows great strength. "The leaves yield an excellent liber. 

 long, white, glossy, strong and very durable, but stiff. Were it possible to prepare 

 it economically, almost an. inexhaustible supply could be obtained from this and the 

 allied }". macrocarpa in the arid regions of the southwest. Specially useful for 

 brushes, mats, bagging, hammocks, saddle blankets, paper, etc. The parenchyma 

 or pith obtained in the process of separating fibers is highly valued for washing 

 purposes, probably containing saponin (as in root) and having marked detergent 

 qualities." (Dr. V. Havard.) 



The fiber of the leaves being strong, long, and durable, are adapted for Indian 

 manufactures, and the savages of southern California make therefrom excellent 

 horse blankets. All the tribes living in the country where this plant is found use 

 it to make ropes, twine, nets, hair brushes, shoes, and mattresses. The Diegeno 

 Indians of southern California have brought the uses of this plant to notice by the 

 various articles they make from its fibers and sell to white settlers. In preparing a 

 warp for the manufacture of saddle blankets it is first loosely twisted then, when 

 wanted, it receives a firmer twist. If the blanket is to he ornamented a part of the 

 warp during the first process is dyed a claret brown, oak bark being used for that 

 purpose. The loom in use among the Indians of to-day is original with themselves, 

 and not borrowed, as some suppose, from the Spaniards. It is a simple affair, con- 

 sisting of two round, strong, short poles, one suspended and the other fastened to 

 the ground. Upon these is arranged the warp. Two long wooden needles with eyes 

 are threaded with the filling, which is more loosely twisted than the warp, in older to 

 give substance or body to the blanket. Each time that the filling is thrust between 

 the threads of the warp by one hand the Indian female, with a long, wide, wooden 

 implement in the other hand, beats it into place. This tool resembles a carving- 

 knife, but is much larger and longer. One edge is thin, and in this is made a number 

 of teeth or notches not so sharp as to cut. This plant, so fibrous and so abundant on 

 land utterly worthless for the growth of anything more valuable, can be had for the 

 gathering; and as paper materials are scarce, either alone or mixed with straw, 

 would be valuable in the manufacture of that article. (Dr. E. Palmer.) 



Yucca filamentosa. Bear Grass. 



Common names. — Adam's needle: Eve's thread: silk grass (erroneously); bear 

 grass; thready Adam's needle of Australia. 



This is the common species of Yucca of the Southern States. Hardy as far north 

 as Xew England. It has also been distributed to other portions of the world. Fig. 

 1. PI. XII, is the bear grass of the Southern States, photographed from a plant in the 

 grounds of the United States Department of Agriculture. 



Structural Fiber. — The name bear grass should belong distinctively to the liber 

 of this species. Bear grass is used all over the South in a rude way as a •• tie plant/' 

 the twisted leaves being employed for hanging hams and in other similar us< S. 



Bear grass grows on our poorest sand hills, and is considered quite a pest when the 

 land on which it is found is cultivated for any of our crops. It is hard to destroy; 

 is propagated either by seed or by the roots. The roots when cut will sprout and 

 put up new plants, so an attempt to destroy it often increases the growl h and causes 

 it to spread. It is evidently benefited by the effort to destroy it in cultivating other 

 crops. It is used by farmers for b1 rings t<> bang up bacon, and sometimes for other 

 purposes. It is prepared for this use by scalding in hot water. It is very strong 

 and durable and has been ased to make cords, and would he used more if some proc- 

 ess could he in\ ented to convert it into rope without the aid of machinery, and cheap 

 enough to be in reach of the ordinary farmer. (E. A. Bobeson. ) 



