Dr. J. Leon Loubeiran, of the Ecole de Phar macie of Paris, writing in 1873, mentions a. machine which, if worked by two horses, could turn out GOO to 900 kiloaramines of fibre in a day ; and if worked by had, in ten working hours could clean 20 to 29 kilogrammes of fibre.
Abelmoschus. Several species of this genus of the Malvacem yield fibres. The reticulated fibre of A. ficul neus is made into paper, and used in the manufacture of gunny bags.
Abelmoschus esculentus furnishes an excellent fibre for the papermakers, and it is exported to a small extent as a ropemaking material. It has a fine gloss, which it retains even when brovvn and rotten ; a bundle was found by Dr, Roxburgh to bear a weight of from 79 to 95 lbs.
The fibre of the Abelmoschus moschatus broke with a weight of 107 lbs.
An excellent white fibre from the Abelmoschus tetra phyllus was exhibited by Mr. Jaffrey at the Madras Exhibition of 1857.
Abelmoschus strictus abounds in long, glossy, white, fine, and strong fibres.
The fibres of the Abronta augustum, another of the Malvacem, are of great beauty, strength, toughness, and fineness ; and as it grows all over the East, and as far as the Philippines, and so rapidly as to yield two, three, and even four cuttings annually, all fit for peel ing, it is deserving of more than common attention. The bark is steeped in water for a week or more, according to the heat of the weather, and requires no further cleaning. The fibre is said to be three times greater and one-tenth stronger than that of shim. A cord of the abroma bore a weight of 74 lbs.:\ while that of sunn only 68 lbs. The fibres do not beCome weakened by exposure to wet, and the plant can be cultivated as an annual.
Abutilon Indicum, another malvaceous plant, yields a rather strong fibre fit for the manufacture of ropes. The plants are gathered and freed of their leaves and twigs, and dried for two days in the sun. They are then tied in bundles, and placed under water, for about ten days ; the bark and other foreign matter are removed by repeated washing, and the fibres are placed in the sun to dry.
Fibres of a long silky character, fit for making ropes, are obtained from the Abutilon polyandrum, and a fibre is also yielded by the A. tonzentosunz. There are several
other species.
Agave Americana, or blue and green leaved aloe, grows wild, and yields a long, white, and strong fibre, of which more might be made. It is variously known as Valaiti pat, Kathale, Rakas pattah, and Rakshasi matalu, and is used for ordinary purposes by merely stripping the leaves for immediate use, or soaking them for a time till they are sufficiently soft for maceration. This primitive method rots and stains the fibre, and lessens its value ; but by pressing the fresh-cut leaves under strong rollers, and separating and drying the fibre with care and skill, its appearance and strength would be so much improved, that it would command a high price in the London market. The propagation is extremely simple, may be easily extended ; and the fibre has been shown to be equal to the best sunn, jute, or Russian hemp, and far superior to the latter for log lines. The expressed juice, when mixed with mortar and applied to walls or floors, .is an effectual remedy for white ants, but the smell is abominable.
The leaves of Alestris nervosus, Roxb., are used for making cordage ; they are steeped in water for fifteen days, in order to rot useless parts, and then beaten to separate the fibres.
Aloe Indica, A. littoralis, A. perfoliata, and A. vulgaris, and the American aloe, or Agave Americana, yield fibres of great value. In the year 1882, the Govern ment of India largely recommended their extended culture.
The gomuti palm, Arenga saccharifera, of very extensive culture in the Indian islands, furnishes a fibrous matter at the roots of its fronds, much resem bling black horse-hair, of finer texture and greater strength than the husk of the cocoanut. This sub stance, known to Eastern seamen as black rope,' is much used for cables and running rigging, and invites greater attention from manufacturers.
From the Bamboo is made all the paper of China ; the consumption for all purposes of 370 millions of a. much-reading and much-printing population—even that imported for engravings into Britain, under the name of India paper—is thus derived.