Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1894-02-09
USEFUL FIBERS.
Curious Sources From Which They
Are Derived.
Material for Bridges Made From
a Palm Fiber.

Many Of the fbers used in various
parts Of fhe world are derived from
various sources. From the seed-pods
of the calotropis gigantea the natives
Of Java obtain a silky stuff like cot
ton, reselabhng fax and very strong.
1t is called "kahok They prepare it
with their hands and feet, and from it
manufacture bow-strings and traps for
rtigers. A good deal of it is exported
to Holl nd for upholstery material.
The MeAicans make species Of silk
cotton. twisted in soft yarn. into can
dle-wicks This sort Of wick leaves
no ash, its combustion being perfect.
Haying no ielting property, the fiber
cannot bc spun. The same people
make cordage and cigarctte-wrappers
out Of the inner bark of certain trees.
From Algeria comes vegetable
hair" which looks much like horsehair.
1t is obtained from the leaves of a
palmetto similar to the scrub palmetto
which grows wild all over Florida and
Georgia. In those states the produc-
ton Of this kind of fiber may be
come an industry some day. 1t is
good for stufing mattresses and furni-
ture. The famous esparto grass is de
rived from the same part Of Africa.
1t yields fiber that is most import
antly useful for paper-making, though
also employed for baskets, hats. mats,
ropes and nets Spanish shepherds
weave it go closely that vessels made of
it will hold liquids. Probably it would
not be practicable to cultivate the es-
parto grass in this country, because
the labor Of harvesting it is too great.
1t grows in tufts and has to be plucked
up. Free-born Americans will not
bend their backs unless they are hand
somely paid for it.
Useful fibers obtained from palms
are of endless variety. Among them
is the wel-knoSn "coir, from which
cocoa mating is made This is taken
fromsthe L.ss of the cocoanut and is
ship2. =, ,7rket twisted into long
ropesS 'sFIe industry Of preparing it
is of great Importance in Ceylon.
Formerly it was separated by burying
the husks for many months in pits,
where they were subjected to rotting
by sea water. Many fibers used for
brushes come from palms One kind
from Ceylon, is called "kittool. 1t
is from the leaves, the heshy parts of
which are rot:-sd away by the rains, so
ihat the stout tibers forming the leaf
skeletons hang down in bunches and
are easily cut off. They are utilized
to make ropes for tying elephants.
The same tree produce, palm wine,
sugar and kind OF sago, from which
the natives prepare a dish resembling
oatmeal
The brushes of the street-sweeping
machines used in London and Paris
are made from a palm fiber resembling
kittool. only coarser, and obtained in
the same way. This species furnishes
material for bridges in some parts of
South America. An important com
mercial fiber from South America is
got from the roots fakind of grass. 1t
is largely used for brooms. The Mexi-
can natives make superb fiber from
the century plant. Being very elastic,
it has been recommended for hawsers.
which would not be nearly so likely
to snap as the ordinary Manila hemp.
The 'ixtle" or ''tamp;co' of Mexico
is allied to the century plant aud nj
fords tiber which is imported in con
siderable quantities into this country
for use instead of bristles for brushes.
The finest quality brings $500 ton.
THIS plant grows wild on arid table
lands, where no other living thing
can lind moisture enough to sustain
existence.
Manila hemp is a variety of tho
banana Spanish moss. which hsngs
in fe.t5ons from trees in the south.
belongs to the same order as the pine.
apple, oddly enough. 1t is an air
plant but not parasite, as is com
monty opposed. One reason for the
misconeeption in this regard is that it
is most luxuriant on dead trees, be
cause ITS own growth is utilized a,
commercial fiber, being treated in
masses with chemicals, which rot of
Its outes covering, or bark. After
being dried it looks like horsehair and
is called vegetable hair. Il Washing
ton Star.
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lhe Roads of Arizona.