202 
FIBRES 
In the case of stem fibres it is found that those of the 
bast are longer and more useful than those of the wood, 
and they alone are used for weaving. They are generally 
obtained by retting or macerating the stems in water, and 
afterwards beating out the fibres. The most important fibres 
of this class are hemp (Cannabis), jute (Corchorus), flax 
(Linum), sunn-hemp (Crotalaria), rhea or ramie (Boehmeria), 
&c. In most Monocotyledons the entire vascular bundle is 
removed by retting or beating of the leaf ; important fibres 
of this class are sisal-hemp and other Agaves, Manila 
hemp (Musa), Mauritius hemp (Furcraea), New Zealand 
flax (Phormium), bowstring hemp (Sansevieria), Tillandsia, 
&c. Many palms have large masses of such fibres at the 
bases of the leaves, e.g. Cocos (coir), Arenga, Attalea, 
Borassus, Caryota, Copernicia, Jubaea, Leopoldinia (pias- 
saba), Raphia, &c. ; these are mainly used for brushes and 
similar coarse work. The entire leaves of many grasses 
and sedges, e.g. Stipa (esparto), Lygeum, Ampelodesma, 
Cyperus, &c. are used as fibres in paper-making, basket- 
weaving, mat-making, &c. ; the straw of many cereals, stems 
of rushes, twigs of osiers and many other plants, the 
stripped bark of Hibiscus &c., and strips cut from the 
leaves of many palms, Carludovica, &c., are similarly used, 
while enormous quantities of paper are made from wood 
pulp, prepared by macerating the entire wood of stems of 
conifers, birch, poplar, &c. The chief surface-fibre is cotton 
(Gossypium) ; others are found in Eriodendron, Calotropis, 
Bombax, &c. The entire mass of fibres in the bark of 
such trees as Lagetta, Antiaris, Broussonetia, is sometimes 
retted out by natives of tropical countries, and made into 
rough sacks, dresses, &c. The long tough stems of many 
lianes are used as ropes. The fibre of the fruit of Luffa 
forms a scrubbing-brush, and is used for packing, air- 
filters, &c. 
V. Drugs. Innumerable plants are or have been 
used in medicine, for the sake of the alkaloids and other 
active principles contained in them. No attempt has been 
made to mention all these cases nor even all the plants now 
used. The most important vegetable drugs are probably 
quinine and opium, but there are numerous others. Among 
those described in Part II. are Aloe, Alstonia, Amomum, 
