Jubsea spectabilis—Coquita.—Endogen ; palm. Plentiful in Colombia, Chili, and other parts of S. America. The bark of the tree yields a fibre of great strength, which is commonly used locally for the manufacture of ropes, which are very durable, and sold at a trifling rate. Cables made of it are found to last longer than hempen ones.
Jute.—See Corchorus.
Kittool.—See Caryota urens.
Kydia calycina.—Warang bast.—Exogen. Native of the Tropical Himalayas, W. Ghats, and Burmah. The fibre resembles lime-tree bast (Tilia europcea).
Lagetta limtearia.—Lace-bark tree. —Exogen ; tree, 25-30 ft. Native of Jamaica, grow ing in rocky places. The inner bark of the tree consists of numerous layers of fibre, interlaced in every direction, and forming fine meshes. On soaking it in water, it is easily separated. A section across the internal bark is shown in Fig. 663 : p, parenchyma ; f, bast fibres, coloured distinctly yellow by test H; nag.. 300. The fibres aro very tine, frill, smooth, and stiff. Their dimensions are:—length : max., in. ; min., in. ; mean, 0.196 in. ; diameter : mean, in. They are mueh used locally for making lace articles, and other delicate textile fabrics. It is suggested that the bark might be used for paper-making, if suffi ciently plentiful.
Laportea only foreign nettle which will with stand the cold of the European winter. (See Urtica sp. div.) Lardizabala Native of Chili, and selected for culture in Victoria. A climber, with sterns of enormous length, which, in Chlli, are dried, and used as ropes. It would probably yield good tough cordage fibre.
Lasiosiphon speciosue Rameta bast.—Exogen. Found in the Deccan. The fibres aro very strong, and almost colourless.
Lavatera Native of Middle Europe and the countries of the Mediterranean ; recommended for culture in Victoria. Has long been an inhabitant of some of the sea-cliffs and coasts of the United Kingdom ; also grows in Madeira. It requires no care for cultivation, and is of quick growth ; it probably would not withstand the cold of high inland districts. The inner bark yields a strong fibre, which is somewhat coarse, but is capable of manufacture into cords, ropes, and mats, and may probably be used for paper-making.
L. luxuriantly in the barren country beyond the Darling River, and extends from S. Australia, through Victoria, into New South Wales. It may be obtained in considerable quantity along the Murray River and many of its tributaries. It is a
perennial, and will probably admit of an annual crop being removed. It has been successfully tried for rope and paper-making. In the latter case, it is pulled up by the roots and hung up to dry ; when dry, it is chopped up small, treated with alkali, to remove the gummy matter, and, after ordinary bleaching, may be used like rags. It is employed by the natives for baskets and fishing-lines.
Leopoldinia ; palm, ft. This tree grows abundantly near the White River, that flows into the Barra de Rio Negro, as well as on some of the tributaries of the Orinoco ; it is also found in the Amazon basin ; but the bulk of its fibre comes from the Barra de Rio Negro. Its habitat is low sandy flats, where water may stand a little in rainy weather ; but it avoids swamps. The dilated base of the petioles separates into a long coarse fringe, which is collected by the natives, and tied in bundles several feet long, weighing about 1 arroba (32 lb.). The fibre is not interlaced with the bark of the leaf. Hitherto the fibre was despatched in boats by the natives on the White River, to Para, whence the fibre takes its name. The irregular arrival of these vessels caused great fluotuations of price at the port. Latterly steamers ascend as far as Manaos, at the junction of the Amazon and Barra de Rio Negro, and bring the fibre direct to England. It absorbs much more water than the Bahia kinds, and each tree yields a larger quantity. This desoriptiou, however, only forms about 4-5 per cent. of the total production of Piassava fibre. Locally it is much used for making rough but durable ropes, which resist the destructive effects of alternate wetting and sun-drying better than any other native fibre. Its consumption iu this country is chiefly for brush-making. The prices in the London market fluctuate exceedingly—from 251. to 451. a ton. (See Attalea fuallera.) Arthur Robottom, of Mincing Lane, who is well known in connection with this fibre, states that parcels of a so-called " piassaba " have recently been collected in Peru, and shipped, via Manaos end Para, to this market. He describes it as tender, dark-coloured, and very fine, being quite different from either the Para or the Bahia kind. The first arrival brought 6-71. a ton (not enough to pay freight and charges), while later ones have found no bidder at even 51. a ton. Its market value is spoiled solely by carelessness in collecting it.