MANILLA HEMP. 



159 



true stems. Tbey contain such a remarkable abundance of 

 spiral vessels that these can be pulled out by handfuls^ and 

 are sold for tinder. Each spiral vessel consists of six or 

 seven fibres^ which^ when pulled out^ constitute the Manilla 

 Hemp. It is from the finer fibres^ obtained from the petioles 

 of the leaves^ that many of the celebrated muslins ' of India 

 are made. 



The common Manilla Hemp is a fine round silky-looking 

 fibre^ nearly white ; it is used extensively in making cordage^ 

 for which purpose it is admirably adapted. About 2000 

 tons are annually imported. The celebrated Manilla scarfs, 

 handkerchiefs, and the superior muslins, w^hich rank so 

 high amongst the oriental textile fabrics, are manufactured 

 from the finest selected fibres, which are of great length and 

 strength; and they are as fine and round as hair. The 

 Manilla hemp imported into England consists only of the 

 coarser plantain- fibre, which is used almost exclusively in 

 the manufacture of cordage for ships, and is highly valued 

 for its great strength and capabilities of withstanding the 

 wxather. The quantity imported is about 8000 tons per 

 annum ; but the returns for this and several other fibres 

 being mixed up with those of Semp" (which commer- 

 cially is a very indefinite term), it is impossible to ascertain 



