Andropogon Martini—Roussa graaa.—Endogen. Native of India ; universally spread over the trap districts of the Deccan. Yields a useful fibre for paper-making, after the extraction of its valuable oil (see Oils—Nemaur grass-oil). A. involutus, A. saecharatum, A. Iwarancusa, in India, A. condensatus, in the Argentine Republic, A. tenuis, A. sericeus, Heteropogon insignis, in S. Australia, all afford fibres; further, A. gryllus and A. Ischcemum in Europe.
Anona The fibre is employed in Guadeloupe and Angola.
Antiaris ; large tree, 18 ft. in circumference at base, and 100 ft. high. It flourishes iu Malabar, Travancore, the N. Concans, and Ceylon. The strong fibrous liber, or inner bark, of this tree is locally used as sacking, and might be emplOyed for cordage, matting, and paper-making. Trees 9-12 in. thick are selected, and subjected to a severe beating with a stone or club, till the parenchyma, or outer bark, is removed. The fibrous inner bark is then stripped off in sheets, the tree being often cut into sections, yielding ready-made sacks. The sacks are filled with sand, and dried in the sun ; they are kept hung in smoke when not in use, and last 10-12 years. The tree is also said to be found in Venezuela, where it provides the marima shirts of the natives.
Apocynum 9 ft. A native of N. America, being found in a wild state on the bottom lands of the rivers, especially in Colorado. It is recom mended for culture in Victoria. It yields a fine, white, strong fibre, which has been used from time immemorial, by the Indians of the Colorado river, for cordage and clothing. It is exciting the atten tion of paper-makers in the E. States, and may be valuable as a textile fibre. A. [Rederia] fcetidum, A. sibiricuns, A. syriacum, grow in great profusion in S. Siberia, Turkestan, Krim, Trane-Caucasia, and on the Adriatic. In Turkestan, they occur most abundantly in the province of Scridretachi, in the lands of the Ili, and on the banks of the Syr ; al-o throughout the kbanate of Kokan, in the valley of the Zariayschane, and around the Arul. In the lands of tho Ili, the pl fana cover the steppes, and their fibre, under the name of till(1, is used for nets, fishing-lines, rope, and twine, but not for textiles. In other districts, the fibre is more carefully prepared, for textiles. It is sepa rated by a short netting, is very strong and elastic, easily divisible, bleaches and dyes well, and has a length of 6-12 ft.
Areca or Palm (see Nuts).—The spath of the leaf contains so much fibre that it is employed in a crude state, by Singapore shopkeepers, for peckiug up parcels, and is used by the Hilidoes for making water vessels, caps, dishes, and umbrellas ; it is so fine that it can be written on with ink. The vigorous growth and wide distribution of the tree make it deserving of the attention of paper-makers.
Arenga saccharifera [Saguerus bristles (MALACOA, Ejoo ; SUMATRA, &e., Anon).—Endogen. This palm is found throughout the Asiatic islands, especially in low, moist situations. The stem in early life is covered with the sheaths of fronds or leaves, the sides of which afford quantities of a black, horsehair-like fibre. Each tree yields about 6 leaves annually, and each leaf gives about i-1 lb. of the fibres. These may be removed without injury to the tree ; indeed, they drop off as it advances in age. The fibres are of several qualities and sizes ; some arc so coarse and stiff as to be suitable ouly for brush-making ; the majority closely resemble black horsehair, and possess all the qualities required for rope-making ; tho finest are used for caulking ships, stuffing cushions, and as tinder. Commercially, the most valuable fibres are those of medium size. Their breaking strain was recorded as 96 lb., as against coir at 87 lb. ; their dura bility is most remarkable, exposure to wet, and even being packed away in a wet state, having no effect upon them ; moreover, cables made of this fibre float on the water. A sample of the fibre, exposed for 2 hours to steam at 2 atmos., boiled in water for 3 hours, and again steamed for 4 hours, lost 4.15 per cunt. of its weight, as against Manilla hemp, 6.07; hemp, coir, 8.13. These properties have caused the fibre to be most extensively used in the East, for making cables and standing rigging ; for running rigging, it gives place to coir (Cocos nue,fero), which is more pliant and elastic, though less durable. It undergoes no preparation, either before or after being twisted into rope. The best is produced in the Spice Islands ; that of Java is coarser. It is an importaut product of the Sulu Archipelago, and is met with in a very fine state at Manacle, in Celebes. Its local cheapness and abundance commend it to rope-makers. The unusual resistance of the fibre to the action of water has caused it to be advocated as a covering for telegraph cables.