The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-06-12
Fabrics from Wild Plants.

In a shop window in New York City
is displayed variety OF hanks of
thread. some coarse, some hne. some
dark-colored, some light, some vari-
colored. Some of the thread has the
T softness Of the finest silk. some is rough
and rasping as hemp. 1t is curious
assortment, and attracts the attention
of many passer-by. A visit to the IN
side of the shop is revelation OF
coming revolution in certain agrlcul-
tural products of this country hitherto
considered useless. In q rear room
about 16 by 20 feet, were three or four
heavy, but apparently simple machines
operated by small steam engine: The
room was half filled with many kinds
of weeds, weed-stems and leaves, while
in one corner were seen barrels OF
crude asbestos. One machine is being
fed by young man, who gave to it
bundle after bundle of the dry, brittle
weeds. while another was greedily de-
vouring asbestos, crushing Jumps
weighing three or four pounds and
swallowing them with a groan. The
dry, trash-like stuff fed to the first ma
chine was converted in short time
into the coarse. brown thread seen in
the window, while the rough asbestos
quickly changed its mineral hardness
and became a fiber as fine as silk,
ready to De spun and woven. The
common cotton stalk, which the planter
of the South pulls up and burns after
the years picking, was made into n
coarse thread. equal in every respect
to the jute of India, which the United
States buys to the extent of $1,000, 600
annually. Flax straw, which grows in
many of the states of the Union, which
is cultivated by hundreds of thousands
of acres for the seed alone, and is burn
ed, or left TO rot in the fields, was con-
vcrted into fiber which made an ex-
cellent and strong coarse linen, and
which, when mixed with wool in the
process of manufacture, made an excel
lent substitute for cotton. Other plants
of which the greater number were dis
covered to be weeds of the commonest
variety, were shown to contain valua-
BILE fiber. Among them were bear
grass, Spanish bayonet (needle). okra,
nettle, ramie, pita, baurbor. wild cof-
fee, the cotton plant and jute. Most
of these plants grow wild. Little or
no attention has been paid to their
culture.
From these various fibers, many of
which. by actual experiment will dye
beautifully and perfectly and, without
injury, can be made bagging, mats,
mating sacks for grain, rope, cordage.
twine. packing thread, paper stock of
the finest quality, costly fabrics for
wear, substantial fabrics for every day
use, and material for upholstering pur-
poses. From the fibrous mineral as
bestos can be made fire-proof curtains
and hangings for halls and theaters,
tire-proof ropes, carpets and ground
work for oil-cloths, and many other AZ
ticles of luxury and necessity. Ramie
and Sisal hemp fiber may be mixed
with silk in manufacture, and common
grasses are turned into fiber fine and
strong for wigs and false hair. Even
the hard shell of the cocoanut is dis
covered to contain fiber which closely
resembles hair. 1t will not "pack, :"
and is equal to curied hair for up
holstercrs' use. Indeed, there are few
of our native products which do not
contain some quality of fiber, and re-
cent experiments have demonstrated
that the United States pays annually
for products which may be made at
home the large sum of 1000, ,0OO.--
N, T. Tribune.