a

PHILIPPINE BUBEAII OF AGElCUi/TURE.

I !RR t RY
DEPARTAMENTO DE AGTKICULTURA IDE FIEIPI&ils?

UNIVERSITY

— OF—

CALIFORNIA.

FARMERS' BULLETIN No. 4.

BOIjETIX DEL AGRICULTOR NO. 4.

PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE COMMERCIAL FIBERS OF THE PHILIPPINES

MEMORIA PRELIMINAR LAS FIBRAS COMERCIALES DE F1L1PINAS

BY

FOR

W. GIX,MORE,

FIBER EXPERT.
Perito en Materias Fibrosas.

PREPARED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU.

PREPARADA BAJO LA DIRECCION DEL JEFE DEL DEPAHTAMENTO.

MANILA:

BUREAU OF PUBLIC PRINTING.
1903.

LETTEE OF SUBMITTAL.

MANILA, P. L, August 26, 1902.

SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith the manuscript of a paper
entitled "A Preliminary Report on the Commercial Fibers of the Phil-
ippines," and to recommend that it be published as a Farmers' Bulletin.

The paper embodies brief general information upon the fibers which
are at present exported from the Philippines, and also upon the most
important of those which enter into the interisland trade and have a
large and important use among the natives. The illustrations are from
photographs taken by Mr. C. W. Dorsey, soil physicist.
Respectfully,

JOHN W. GILMORE,
Expert in charge of Fiber Investigations.

Prof. F. LAMSON-SCRIBNER,

Chief Insular Bureau of Agriculture.

3

CONTENTS.

Page.

Introduction 7

Manila hemp or abaca 8

Soil and cultivation 9

Extraction of fiber 11

Classification and uses 13

Maguey 13

Cultivation 14

Extraction of fiber and yield 15

Pineapple fiber 16

Extraction of fiber and uses 17

Cotton 1 18

Soil and climatic conditions 21

Uses and yield 22

Ramie 22

Production and uses 2&

Planting and cultivation 24

Pangdan 25

Burri or talipot palm 26

Nipa 27

Rattan _* 27

Conclusion 22

List of fiber plants 29

ILLUSTEATIONS.

Facing page.
Plate I. A field of abaca protected by numerous shade trees, Sorsogon

Province, Luzon 8

II. Laborer's house surrounded by abacd plants, Mount Iriga, Camar-

ines Sur, Luzon L 10

III. Unloading loosely bound bundles of abaca fiber from sailing

vessels and spreading it to dry in front of large warehouses,
Tacloban, Leyte 12

IV. Drying extracted abacd fiber, Sorsogon Province, Luzon 14

5

INTRODUCTION.

It is the object of this paper to set forth briefly some facts regarding
the fiber plants and their products of the Philippine Archipelago which
are at the present time receiving commercial attention. It is not now
practicable to mention all those which are of economic importance; for,
as this is one line of work which this Bureau is taking up, treatment of
such plants and their fibers will be reserved for later publications.

Strictly speaking, Manila hemp and maguey are the only raw fibers
exported from these Islands at the present time, and of these the former
rank among the economic products of the Archipelago. The production
and exportation of Manila hemp is indeed the most important industry
of the Islands at the present time, both from a financial and a commer-
cial point of view. Almost every ship that makes a trip to the south of
Manila brings back a consignment of Manila hemp, which in turn is
loaded into regular hemp-carrying steamers for American and European
ports. Formerly the fiber was shipped to Manila, but during the past
two years ocean-going vessels have loaded in Cebu with full cargoes for
foreign ports.

Manila hemp came into notice in the early part of last century, but it
was not recognized as a product of importance until about 1850. The
following table shows the growth in production by decades :

Tons.

1840 8,502

1850 8,561

1860 _' 30,388

1870 31,426

1880 50, 482

1890 •- 67,864

1900 89,438

As a product of value Manila hemp ranks first among the resources
of the Islands. During the fiscal year 1901 the total value of all exports
from the Islands was $23,197,367, and of this amount $14,453,110 repre-
sents the value of hemp which is 62.3 per cent. Its relation in this regard
to other products of the Islands is shown in the following table, which
gives values for the fiscal year 1901 :

Article.

Amount.

Per cent
of total
exports.

Manila hemp . _

$14, 453, 110

62.3

Copra and cocoanuts

2, 663, 340

11.47

Sugar. __

2,293,075

9.88

Tobacco, cigars, and cigarettes

2, 217, 728

9.56

Coffee

6,616

.02

8 FARMERS' BULLETIN.

Cotton, pineapple fiber, and ramie are produced in the Philippines, but
for the present they have dropped from the articles of export. They are
used in the economy of the natives, and, with the exception of pineapple
fiber, large quantities are imported.

The other products mentioned, pandan, burri, nipa, and rattan, are
used more or less extensively throughout the Islands, and in some in-
stances form articles of trade beween island ports. All of these are
extremely useful to the natives. Pandan and burri are used extensively
in the fabrication of hats, mats, and coarse weavings. Nipa is used,
wherever it can be obtained, for the roofs and sides of dwellings, and the
rattan is a substitute for nails and pins in the construction of houses, a
serviceable article for. lashings and bindings, and is used extensively in
furniture making.

As a whole the fibers and fiber products of the Philippines form an
important source of wealth to the Islands, and at present the attention
given to their economic production and preparation for market is inap-
preciable. It is believed that, by enlarging the fiber-producing area, by
improving the present methods of cultivation and preparation for market,
and by introducing such new fiber plants as would be adapted to the
climatic and labor conditions of the Islands the fiber interests will easily
retain their rank with the leading resources of the Islands.

MANILA HEMP OR ABACA.

This fiber, so well known in commerce, is produced by a species of the
banana family (Musa textilis). Musa is quite a large and specialized
genus, and some of the species comprise several varieties. Among the
Filipinos the genus is divided into three groups — the plants which pro-
duce the edible banana of commerce (Visaya, saging) ; those which pro-
duce the fiber under consideration (abaca) ; and the wild banana (pacol),
which has no recognized economic value. The plants of all these species
produce a fiber of greater or less strength, and in tropical countries
where the plants grow the fiber generally finds some use in the economy
of the natives.

The name, "Manila hemp," by which the fiber under consideration is
known, is a misnomer. Properly speaking, hemp is the product of an-
other plant, Cannabis sativa, a native of western and central Asia, and it
is a bast fiber or the fiber of the inner bark. But the Manila hemp is a
structural fiber; that is, it forms a part of the structural system of the
leaf sheath. Nearly all fibers first came into notice through their com-
mercial uses, and as commerce and utility do not stop to inquire into
scientific relationships, each fiber, as it came into extensive use, began to
be known as hemp, qualified by a word signifying the place from which it
came or the use to which it was put. Thus we have Manila hemp, Bow-
string hemp, Bombay hemp, Calcutta hemp, Pita hemp, water hemp, and

V

COMMERCIAL FIBERS OF THE PHILIPPINES.

9

many others. However, since the name "Manila hemp" is so well estab-
lished it would not be wise to attempt to change it.

Although the various species of the genus Musa flourish in nearly all
tropical countries of the world, yet Musa textilis from which the Ma-
nila hemp is obtained seems to thrive to the best advantage only in the
Philippines. Attempts have been made to introduce it into other coun-
tries where other species closely related grow, but these attempts have not
been successful. The species was introduced into Calcutta in 1822 and
into Madras in 1859. While the plants of these introductions produced
fiber, yet it was of an inferior quality, and the cost of production ex-
ceeded the value. In 1873 the plant was introduced into the Andaman
Islands. These trials were more successful than those in India, the best
fiber being of about the same quality as the medium from the Philippines.
Attempts have also been made to introduce the plant into Flordia and
the West Indies, but with unsuccessful results.

SOIL AND CULTIVATION.

Musa textilis requires a uniformly moist and warm climate for its
best growth and development. While it may be found almost throughout
the entire Archipelago, yet it grows to the best advantage in the Provinces
of Albay, Camarines Norte and Sur, Sorsogon, and in the Islands of
Masbate, Mindoro, Marinduque, Samar, Leyte, Cebu, southern Negros,
and parts of Mindanao. In these regions there is an abundant rainfall
and a high relative humidity of the atmosphere. ' The following table
gives a general idea of the annual rainfall and average temperature of
these regions :

Province.

Number
of years
averaged.

Temper-
ature.

Days
rain.

Rainfall.

Albay _ _

6

0 C.
26. 05

218.5

Indhes.
118. 42

La Carlota (Negros)

10

26.5

154.3

103. 65

Mamburao (Mindoro) __ _

2

147.5

124. 65

Zamboanga

2

27.12

110

35.44

Iloilo — -

4

152.6

71.84

Cebu

6

161

58.88

Tamontaca (S Mindanao)

2

121.3

76.38

Davao , -

2

187

79.82

The relative humidity of the atmosphere also has an important bearing
upon the growth and development of Musa textilis, but as a general
rule in the Philippines the relative humidity follows the rainfall in its
variations, and during the entire rainy season there are many days of
excessive humidity when there is no actual rainfall, and so far as the
effect on the growth of the plant is concerned, these would have almost
the same effect as seasons of rain.

In selecting a site for a plantation four considerations are to be borne
in mind, the rainfall, the humidity of the atmosphere, the soil in particu-
lar reference to exposure and drainage, and protection from excessive sun
and wind. /'Sufficient has been shown in the table above to indicate the

10 FARMERS' BULLETIN.

necessity of an abundant rainfall and high relative humidity of the atmos-
phere. These characteristics of any situation to be devoted to Musa \
textilis insure a more vigorous development of the plant and consequently \
a greater production and a better quality of fiber. /But it must not be
supposed that the plant requires a wet soil. Moisture is what it demands \
and not water. The plant will not thrive in marshy land, no matter what
the rainfall and protection from wind and sun may be. In its natural
choosing the plant selects the well-drained mountain slopes and the*
sloping valleys lying between their spurs. In these situations sufficient \
trees grow or are left to grow to protect the fiEer plants from the fullest
rays of the sun and from the strong winds. In addition to this the soil
is naturally well drained, is rich in humus, and in such places there are
usually washings and other movements of the soil sufficient to answer for
a sort of cultivation..

In many sections even where rainfall is sufficient much land could be
profitably devoted to the growing of Musa textilis and the production
of Manila hemp by giving the land sufficient drainage. Drainage by
surface ditches is one method which might be practiced. It is not the ]
most practical method, but vnder the present conditions of labor and the j
difficulty of obtaining tiles it can be made to serve broad purposes. This
method has another point favoring it, in that the ditches can be made
between every other row, and ~> the rows are wide enough apart, the
ditches will not materially interfere with the crop. This method is almost '
exclusively followed by the coffee growers in Java and the tea growers in j
Asam and India. But looking forward to better labor conditions, a
greater development of the hemp industry, and the perfection of the \
means for making drain tiles here in the Islands, for which there is
abundant material, drainage by underground conduits is the most practi- j
cable, and, in the end, the cheapest method of draining land.
/The cultivation of Musa textilis is not a difficult matter; though
judicious care and shading will bring good harvests. The plants are set
in rows from 5 to 8 feet each way, and until they reach maturity it is
necessary to keep the weeds in subjection. The plants reach maturity in
from two and one-half to three and one-half years, when they are usually
left to themselves with the exception that coarse weeds are kept out. It
is quite necessary that the ground be kept covered with some herbage, for
the land is usually so rolling that otherwise washing would do much J
damage. No better scheme could be employed, either on rolling or level
land, than that of sowing in the plantation some of the clovers or other
leguminous crops that grow well in the Philippines, -which would not only
bind the soil to prevent washing, but would add to the soil a most useful
element, nitrogen. In most situations trees are either left growing in the
plantations or are afterwards planted for the purpose of shading the
plants to some extent from the glaring rays of the sun and to break the
force of the winds which would tear the leaves to pieces and retard the

\

COMMERCIAL FIBERS OF THE PHILIPPINES. 11

EXTRACTION OP FIBER.

12 FARMERS' BULLETIN.

set in the ground a horizontal pole is attached with "bejucos" or rattan
canes. A short strong knife or bolo with a wooden handle is firmly
attached on a pivot or fulcrum upon the upper surface of the horizontal
pole. The handle is attached by a rattan cane to a bamboo spring
arranged in the roof of the shed or to a branch of the tree, while another
rattan cane runs from the handle to a treadle on the ground, which can
be worked by the foot of the operator. The spring in the roof above
holds the knife upon the pole, or in some cases a block, with a uniform
pressure while the strip of the leaf-sheath is being drawn between its
edge and the pole or block. By placing the foot upon the treadle the
pressure is released and the fiber may be redrawn or a new strip inserted.

When it is not the desire of the operator to produce a fiber of fine
texture and white color a knife with finely serrated edge may be used.
By using a knife of this kind there is less waste of the fiber, but at the
same time more of the undesirable pulp and, consequently, fresh juice is
left with the fiber. This residue of pulp and juice drying upon the fiber
gives it an undesirable color, and if too much is left on, the strength of
the fiber is injured and the market value is much reduced. The whitest
fiber is drawn under a knife with a smooth edge and immediately after
the plant is cut. If the stalks and strips are allowed to lie in the sun
for any length of time before the fiber is drawn the fiber will be colored
more or less yellow. As a means of increasing the fineness and whiteness
of the fiber the strips may be drawn several times when they are fresh.
Of course the greater the number of times the fiber is drawn and the
greater the pressure upon the knife the more is the waste, but the in-
creased value of white fiber will compensate for a certain amount of waste.

In yield Musa textilis varies considerably. In Albay, Sorsogon,
and Masbate, where the rainfall is heavy and the humidity of the atmos-
phere is high, the }deld ranges from 12 to 16 piculs of dry fiber per hec-
tare each year (687.5 to 967.6 pounds per acre). In other provinces
where the climate is dryer the yield may not exceed 6 piculs per hectare.
In some localities the quality of the fiber is injured by the work of borers.
Wherever these insects work the fiber is either cut entirely or it is injured
in color and strength.

XSeveral attempts have been made to perfect machines for extracting
this fiber economically, but these machines have either fallen far short
of their requirements or have not met with favor among the natives who
have had occasion to use them^/The most essential feature at the present
time of a machine for this work is that it be light and portable. The
greater part of Manila hemp is produced on the mountain or volcano
sides or on very rough ground, and as the plant stalks are quite heavy all
planters have found it most economical to transport their apparatus
rather than the material. It is hoped, however, that some apparatus can
be devised to avoid the great waste which renders the present method
objectionable. It is variously estimated that from 20 to 30 per cent of the

COMMERCIAL FIBERS OF THE PHILIPPINES. 13

fiber is wasted by this crude process of drawing, and this fiber, too, is fine
and of good quality. The thought is at once suggested that this waste
fiber might.be used as a paper stock if it is not too much injured by the
juice and pulp with which it is mixed and if it can be economically
separated from them./ This is a line of investigations which will be
subsequently taken up.

CLASSIFICATION AND USES..

For commercial purposes the fiber is classified into several groups
according to color, texture, and strength. Length plays a legs important
part in the commercial grades. The great lightness, combined with
strength, is the characteristic of this fiber which gives it its great value.
The qualities usually recognized are the superior, current, second, and
red. Then there are numerous gradations in each of these groups. The
fiber for export is usually tied in small wisps or hanks, and these are put
up in bales weighing 2 piculs (275 pounds).

In all countries to which this fiber is exported the greater part of it
is used for cordage and ropes. In the United States immense quantities
are made into binder twine, and because of its lightness, strength, and
comparative durability it is very serviceable for ship's ropes and cables.
From old and disintegrated ropes our valuable Manila paper is made. In
the Philippines the finer qualities are used in the manufacture of textile
fabrics. Throughout the entire Archipelago these weavings are worn
extensively by both men and women, and when the fiber is mixed with
cotton a durable fabric is produced which is well adapted to the climatic
conditions of the Islands. It is believed that the demand for the better
qualities of these fabrics will increase in the United States and Europe.
A small use is made of the fiber in upholstery, packing, and brush making.

Enough has been said in the general statement above to show the com-
mercial importance of this fiber and the quantities which are being
consumed. It may be that, as the wood pulp now being used so extensively
for the cheaper grades of paper becomes more scarce, certain qualities of
the Manila hemp may take its place.

MAGUEY.

Maguey is a name usually given to the various varieties of Agave
americana, or century plant, but sometimes, as here in the Philippines,
the same name is applied to the fiber of these plants also. The name is
in general use in Mexico and Central America, where the varieties of
this species grow most abundantly, but it is often used also to refer to
any species of Agave or its fiber growing in a particular locality.

This plant has a rugged, hardy appearance which is in harmony with
the dry climate and stony or sandy soil conditions in which it is most
usually found. During the greater part of its life, which varies from
eight to twenty years, it is without a stem, having a rosette of twenty to
forty strong, fleshy leaves rising from the ground. These leaves bear

14 FARMERS' BULLETIN.

spines along the edges and the ends are hardened into a strong, horny
point. The leaves are from 3 to 7 feet long, and are made up of hard,
pulpy material through which the fibers run as vascular bundles for
conveying the sap. Except in the variegated variety the leaves are light
green with a whitish powdery covering or bloom. When the plant is of
mature age its flower stalk grows up very rapidly, sometimes to the
height of 15 feet. The plant flowers only once and then dies; however,
ilTproduces both seed and suckers as means of reproduction.

Nearly all of the agaves produce fiber, and many of them are of com-
mercial importance. Notable among the commercial fibers are maguey,
sisal, and ixtle, or Tampico fiber, produced by different species of agave
and their varieties. The Agave americcma in Mexico and Central America
is quite extensively grown for the production of the intoxicating beverages
pulque and mescal, and for soap. The aggregate of all fibers produced
by these plants is .a large item in the world's output of fibers. In 1891
about 80,000 tons of raw fiber, valued at about $9,000,000, entered the
United States alone.

CULTIVATION.

In the Philippines maguey, Agave americana, is cultivated in the
Islands of Panay, Cebu, Mactan and in the northern provinces of Luzon,
notably in Zambales, Union, an<1 Ilocos Sur. The plant has been intro-
duced into these Islands from Mexico or Central America, as in all parts
where it is cultivated it bears its Mexican name, maguey, or slight varia-
tions. P. Delgado, who wrote about 1775, says that it is not indigenous,
but no note is given as to when and by whom it was introduced.

As stated above, these plants will grow in soils varying widely in texture
and content of moisture. In many places, indeed, they thrive under con-
ditions unsuitable to any other crop. Their long fleshy leaves render them
capable of withstanding long droughts. They are not, however, averse
to the rich soils and humid climate of the Philippines ; in the more humid
climates, indeed, a longer and more elastic fiber is obtained.

In no country where these plants grow have they received much care in
cultivation. Unless planted very far apart they can not be cultivated by
draft animals because of the strong sharp spines which tip the leaves. In
general practice they are planted in xows 8 feet apart and 6 feet apart
in the row, though in Mexico it is said that they are planted only 3 feet
apart each way and when the leaves grow long they are tied up. How-
ever, about the only cultivation they receive is weeding. The leaves reach
maturity in about three years. From this time until the plant flowers,
which varies from 12 to 30 years, the leaves are harvested as they reach
maturity. Each plant will yield about twenty-five leaves a year, which, in
turn, produce about 1£ pounds of dry fiber. This is not a very great
yield in comparison with Manila hemp, but the fact that the plant accepts
climatic conditions which would not be tolerated by any other plant
renders it an economic product.

COMMERCIAL FIBERS OF THE PHILIPPINES. 15

As the plant reaches maturity suckers may grow out from the axils of
the lower leaves. These are best for reproduction, as they are large
enough by the time the plant dies to take its place. However, as a general
rule, they are not produced in sufficient abundance to supply the need of
large plantations. The plant does not produce seed abundantly, but upon
the flower spikelets are borne numerous small slips or suckers which fall
to the ground as the stem ripens. The flowering usually takes place
during the dry months, and these little slips may be collected and set out
,in rows 1 foot apart and 6 inches apart in the row until they take root.
They do not need watering or shading, as they are extremely hardy.
They can be shipped long distances if kept dry. New plantations are
started and old ones are renewed by propagating these slips. The seeds
are only used for the production of new species.

EXTRACTION OF FIBER AND YIELD.

The method of extracting the fiber varies somewhat in different locali-
ties, but the essential principles are the same, that is, maceration in water
(sometimes in salt water), then rubbing and scraping. Oftentimes the
leaves are gathered and crushed or beaten and then piled in bundles to
ferment. When fermentation has ceased, the masses are thrown into
water until the pulpy material has further deteriorated, when the
crushed leaves are separated, rubbed and scraped, and then put out to
dry. In other instances the leaves are thrown into the water without
being crushed and fermented, but by this method the fiber is much
damaged because the leaves are so thick and impenetrable that the whole
mass partially rots.

The fiber extracted is fine and soft, having a wavy appearance which
renders a bunch more fluffy than a similar bunch of Manila hemp or sisal.
Its whiteness depends largely upon the method and care in extracting it.
If produced in accordance with the best method, it is quite white and
brilliant. Another characteristic of this fiber is its elasticity, which
renders it adaptable for ropes and cordage for uses where sudden strains
are expected.

Although the plant is quite widely distributed throughout the Archi-
pelago, yet the fiber is not produced for export on a very large scale.
During 1901 there was shipped from Manila, the only port from which
the fiber is exported, 875 tons (2,240 pounds each), valued at about $100
per ton, and for the the past six months of this year 867 tons have already
been shipped, while for the same period last year (1901) only 562.5 tons
were shipped. This would show a decided increase for this year, and in
connection with the figures it must be stated that this fiber is almost all
marketed before the beginning of the rainy season.

The fiber is used very largely in Europe and the countries of both
North and South America for making ship's ropes and cables and for
ropes in mines, for lines, nets, and weavings for hammocks. In Mexico

16 FARMERS' BULLETIN.

it is extensively used for saddle cloths. The cloths are not woven, but
matted and stitched. It is used also in upholstery.

A number of machines have for several years been used extensively in
Mexico and Central America and the West Indies for extracting sisal
fiber from Agave sisalana. This plant, though producing a coarser
fiber than the maguey, is so nearly like it in the size and texture of its
leaves that no doubt some of these machines could be adapted to extract
the maguey fiber. These machines vary much in capacity, cleaning from
75,000 to 120,000 leaves per day. The essential principle of these ma-j
chines is that the pulpy material is scraped from the fiber without being'
fermented or macerated, thus saving considerable time and labor.

PINEAPPLE FIBER.

(Ananas sativus. )

Few of our economic plants have become more widely disseminated
since their discovery than the pineapple. It is, to the best of our knowl-
edge, a native of Brazil, and was first introduced into Europe in 1513.
Now it is grown in nearly all tropical and subtropical countries. In
nearly all countries where the plant is of economic importance it is culti-
vated for its delicious fruit, but at the same time the leaves produce a
fiber which for fineness and comparative strength is not equaled by any;
other vegetable fiber. The value of this fiber has long been known toj
natives of countries where the plant flourishes for its strength, fineness,
and durability in water. It has long been used in India and China for-
lines and thread and as an adulterant in silk and woolen fabrics. Pine-*
apples are grown quite extensively in Singapore, mainly for their fruit,
but some fiber is produced for export to China, where it is used folj
thread and woven into cloth. * j

The pineapple is quite extensively distributed throughout the Philip-
pines. In some places it grows wild ; in others it is cultivated, or rather
husbanded, for its fruits. In the Luzon Provinces of Laguna, Tayabas,
Ambos Camarines, and Albay, throughout the Island of Panay, and to
some extent in Cebu, it is grown for the production of fiber. It is
claimed by Mr. Perouttel that the pineapple grown in the Philippines is
a distinct species which he calls Bromelia pigna, but sufficient material
has not been collected by us to verify this. However, in many parts, either
because it is a different species, or because of climatic conditions, the
plant can hardly be praised for its fruit-bearing qualities. The fruits of
these are small, fibrous, and not easily digestible. There are localities,
however, where fruits of superior quality are produced.

Ananas sativus will flourish on soils varying greatly in texture and
fertility. It is particular, however, that the soil in which it grows be
well drained and porous. In the Florida Keys it produces profitable crops
upon soils not more than an inch thick covering the coral rock, and
analyses of good pineapple soils show very small percentages of the food

I

COMMERCIAL FIBERS OF THE PHILIPPINES. 17

elements essential to plants. The pineapple plant is capable of with-
standing long droughts. However,, if the soil is porous and well drained,
it will adapt itself to the more humid climates where rainfall is abundant.

The pineapple pioduces seed, but it requires, according to Weber, from
ten to twelve year3 to mature plants from these. The best method of
reproduction is by replanting the suckers which grow out from the parent
plant near the ground. The plant may also be propagated by crowns,
slips, and suckers. These are slow to mature. Besides, the crowns are
usually left on the fruit, and the rattons are left to take the place of the
old plant. When the pineapple is propagated by the buds in the axils of
the leaves it requires a year or a year and a half longer for the plants to
reach maturity. In preparing land for a pineapple plantation it is well
to remove all stumps, brush, and weeds and plow deeply. If the subsoil
is hard and has a tendency to hold water, the land should be subsoiled.
The rainfall in the Philippines is so heavy that drainage, either by surface
ditches or by underground conduits, should be provided. This is quite
essential, for the plants will not thrive in a wet soil.

As a general rule, but light surface cultivation is all that is needed,
and in such cases the plants are set from 30 to 36 inches apart in rows
each way. In localities where the climatic and soil conditions require
deeper and more thorough cultivation, they may be planted 30 inches
apart in the row and the rows 4£ to 5 feet apart. This practice is
followed in the Hawaiian Islands. Pineapple plantations should not be
exposed to strong winds, as the leaves are easily chafed or broken, and
this, in turn, diminishes the yield and quality of the fiber.

The plants from suckers will produce mature leaves in from nine
months to a year. When pineapple plants are grown for fruit the quality
is much improved by judicious fertilizing.

EXTRACTION OF FIBER AND USES.

In the provinces of the Philippines, where the plants are grown for
fiber, the fruit is cut shortly after flowering, in order that the leaves may
develop more fully. When the leaves are mature they must be cut before
they become old and worked as soon as possible after cutting. The fiber
is so fine that it can not be separated from the pulp when the leaves are
old and dry. As in the extraction of Manila hemp and maguey, the pine-
apple fiber is also extracted in a simple and primitive way. The fiber is
too light and fine to admit of being drawn as Manila hemp is drawn, so
the natives in Southern Luzon and Panay resort to a method of scraping.
The freshly cut leaves are spread upon a narrow bench, and with light
short strokes of an iron ecraper, the edge of which is not too sharp, the
epidermis is scraped off. Sometimes a bamboo or wooden scraper is used,
and while this method is slower, yet there is less waste, and a softer
quality of fiber is produced. This exposes a layer of fiber which is lifted
2313 2

18 FARMERS' BULLETIN.

by the fingers or a small spatula. The scraping is then continued until
another layer of fiber is exposed, and this in tiirn is lifted away. The
process continues until all the fibers of the leaf are separated out. As
the fiber is separated it is washed in clear water, and laid out in the sun
to dry and bleach. The washing and drying may be repeated until the
fiber possesses the texture and whiteness desired.

A mature plant has about 40 leaves from 1| to 3 inches broad and
ranging from 2 to 5 feet long. In the Provinces of Iloilo and Antique,
where pineapple plants are grown largely for their fiber, a ton of leaves,
about 22,000, produces from 50 to 65 pounds of dry fiber. This is a
small yield when we take into consideration the number of leaves which
have to be handled and the labor of extracting the fiber. Before the
pineapple fiber can become a very important commercial product machines
will have to be devised for extracting the fiber on plantations more
extensive than those worked at present. Two machines have been used,
the Van Buren and the Sanford Mallory, but they have not yet been
able to produce a quantity of fiber sufficient to make their use economical.

The pineapple fiber has not yet been produced in quantities sufficient
to give it commercial importance. But no doubt it is destined to a more
extensive use than at present, as it possesses unique qualities. The
fabrics called "pin a" and "rengue," manufactured from it here in the
Philippines, are constantly beaming more popular in both Europe and
America, and there is a growing demand for these fabrics for embroidery.
The rengue and pina are now valued at from 25 to 75 cents per yard, and
the fiber in the London market has been adjudged worth £30 per ton.

The fiber is also used for small cordage where great strength is required.
In Calcutta a rope 3J inches in circumference was tested and bore a
strain of 5,700 pounds. It has been suggested that the dried leaves from
the fruit plantations could be used for paper stock, but as yet no trials
along this line have 'been made.

COTTON.

There is hardly an intelligent person in the world who is not acquainted
with cotton as a fiber, and to both the student and general reader it
would seem only necessary to refer to the many excellent books and papers
which have already been written upon this subject. Among the most
recent books is Bulletin 33, United States Department of Agriculture,
Office of Experiment Stations. This work discusses at length the history,
botany, chemistry, cultivation, and varieties of cotton.

The influence of cotton upon the commercial and social interests of the
people of the world is far reaching. Cotton and its products form one of
the greatest items, both in tonnage and value, in the carrying trade of
the world. What the bamboo and cocoanut are to people of the Tropics
cotton is to people of the world in even a broader and a larger sense, and
it is almost unique in the sense that the variety of its products and their

\;

COMMERCIAL FIBERS OF THE PHILIPPINES. 19

usefulness and beauty are more perfectly wrought by the use of ma-
chinery. The growth in the quantity of cotton consumed, and the devel-
opment of the cotton industries during the past century have been most
striking. This growth is due primarily to the invention of the cotton gin
in 1793, which made it possible for the fiber to take its place as an essen-
tial in the economy of mankind. During the first decade of the nine-
teenth century the production reached 300,000 bales. The production
then gradually increased during the next forty years until more than
2,000,000 bales were produced, while at the present time more than
13,000,000 bales are required to supply the world's demand.

The cotton plant is a member of the Malvaceae or mallow family. It
belongs to the genus Gossypmm, of which there are a number of species.
These plants have been cultivated for so many hundreds of years, and
hence are so subject to modification by climatic and soil influences, that
it is very difficult to determine the type of the species and varieties.
Among the recognized species of economic importance are 0. kerba-
ceum, G. barbadense, G. brasiliense, and G. arboreum. G. lierbaceum,
with its varieties, is the species most extensively cultivated in the United
States, where it grows as far north as latitude 36°. The staple of this
cotton is not so long and soft as the Sea Island kinds, but because of its
adaptability to the soil and climate of the United States it contributes
more largely to the quantity and value of the world's product than any
other species. The well-known Sea Island cotton is included in the G.
barbadense and its varieties. This kind produces a longer staple than
perhaps any other economic species, but the yield is less and it is more
limited in its geographical distribution. The plant flourishes south of
latitude 26° N., and as a general rule requires a humid climate, though
irrigation will sometimes compensate for this. The famous Egyptian
cotton belongs to this class.

The other two species mentioned, G. arboreum and G. brasiliense, are
for the most part inhabitants of tropical countries and are of lesser eco-
nomic importance than the preceding. G. arboreum, however, with
its variety neglectum is planted in India and forms the Decca and Bengal
cotton of commerce. The fiber of these varieties is generally long and
fine, but the yield is not large. All species of cotton are naturally peren-
nials, but in cultivation they are sometimes annuals or biennials. They
grow as perennials in most of the islands of the Philippines, where they
are flowering and fruiting nearly all the year round.

Unlike the fibers previously considered, the cotton is what we call a
surface fiber; that is, it is the unicellular filaments growing upon the
surface of the seeds, and not entering into the structural substance of the
plant. The staple of the different varieties of cotton varies. The average
length of the Sea Island varieties is 1.65 inches, and that of the Brasilian
1.25 inches, that of the herbaceous varieties 1.10 inches and that of the
arboreum 0.9 inch. When the cotton fiber is ripe each filament has a

20

FARMERS BULLETIN.

flattened twisted appearance, and the wall is much thicker in proportion
to the size of the cavity than in the green filaments. Cotton should not be
picked until the bells have ripened and the lint thoroughly dried in
the sun.

Gossypium herbaceum, and its varieties, is the species most usually
cultivated in the Philippines for its fiber, although G. arboreum occurs.
The former species is grown mere or less extensively in the Provinces of
Ilocos, Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Bulacan, Batangas, Camarines, and
Laguna and in the Islands of Panay and Cebu and parts of Mindanao.

Although cotton is grown throughout a large area in the Philippines,
yet the fiber has never been produced in sufficient quantities for foreign
export. Some years ago a small interisland trade existed, but the coming
of cheap cotton prints and yarn from Europe, India, and China has
caused a decrease in both the production and trade between ports. The
production for 1893 in some of the northern provinces of Luzon is shown
in the following table :

Province.

AIVM.

Total
produc-
tion.

Kilo-
gram sp
nectar

Ilocos Norte

Hectares.
362

103, 349

3

Ilocos Sur

60

21. 678

3

Abra .

9

2,953

3

Union

177

68,159

3

Pangasinan ._ _

17

5,528

3

The average is 354 kilograms per hectare, or 315 pounds of lint cotton
per acre. Yet this is not the average of production in the Islands. It is
safe to say that the average is not more than 165 pounds of lint cotton
per acre.

The production of raw cotton, or of cotton manufactures, on a com-
mercial scale is inseparable from the use of machinery. The employment
of cotton in weaving dates back into the centuries before Christ, but if it
had not been for the invention of the cotton gin perhaps the fiber would
not be as much used to-day as it was then. The perfection of weaving
machinery has greatly extended the value and usefulness of this fiber.
Two machines have been used for the separation of lint from the seed from
time immemorial in China and India. The most simple and probably the
oldest consists of a piece of iron in the form of a double cone, large in the
center and tapering towards the ends (sometimes a simple cone is used).
For its use the seed cotton is spread upon a flat stone or heavy board,
and this cone, used as a roller, pushes the seed from the lint as it revolves.
A little pressure may be exerted by the hands or feet of the operator.
This implement can be used only with the naked and hard-seeded varieties.
By this method only from 4 to 6 pounds of lint cotton per day can be
turned out by each operator. The other of these which has found its way
into the Philippines, probably through China, consists of two wooden
rollers arranged horizontally one above the other (sometimes the lower \

COMMERCIAL FIBERS OF THE PHILIPPINES. 21

one is of iron), and the lower one is usually smaller than the upper. The
lower roller is turned by a foot treadle and the upper one by one hand
while the cotton is fed into them by the other. The revolving rollers draw
the lint away from the seeds. By this method from 6 to 8 pounds of lint
cotton can be separated per day. In many of the cotton-growing districts
of the Philippines, however, the lint is separated from the seed by hand.

SOIL AND CLIMATIC CONDITIONS.

Climatic conditions have a greater influence over the production of
cotton than do soil conditions. The plant will grow in almost any soil
of good texture and fertility. Cotton is a deep feeding plant, and arable
soils which are sufficiently loose and deep to give the roots a free growth
and which are not scaked with water will be likely to produce well.

Throughout the Archipelago the conditions of rainfall and temperature
have a greater effect upon the cotton crop than does the soil. The land
in which the seeds are planted should be warm and moist. A cold, wet
soil will be almost sure to ro.t the seeds, therefore the seds should germi-
nate, and the plants begin to obtain their food from the soil between
rains if possible. After this and during the growing period the rains may
be frequent, provided the land is drained, without serious detriment to
the crop. From the time the bolls begin to set until the crop is har-
vested a dryer atmosphere, with a greater variation between the day and
night temperature, will be of great advantage. Eains during the season
of ripening are prejudicial to the crop, as the falling rain knocks the
cotton from the bolls and the color and quality of the fiber is damaged.
The cotton plant demands a large amount of sunshine, especially during
the latter period of its growth.

In preparing the land for cotton hard and compact soils should be
plowed deeply enough to facilitate penetration by the roots. It must be
remembered, however, that deep plowing may result in the disadvantage
of heavy leaching, or, in a few localities, the turning of sterile soil to
the surface.

The best time for planting cotton has not been satisfactorily deter-
mined for the Philippines, but uniformly good results have been obtained
by planting during the latter half of the rainy season. By this method
the plant gets its growth during the remainder of the rainy season, and
has the dry season with the cool nights and warm days during which
to mature.

For planting the land should be laid off into rows from 3 to 4 feet
apart. In the wetter soils slight ridges may be thrown up to give the
young plants drainage. Much time and money has been spent in con-
structing machines for planting cotton seed, but perfection has not yet
been reached. However, in large cotton-growing sections of the United
States these machines are used in preference to the old methods of hand
planting. In the Philippines it is usual to plant the seed thickly in the

22

FARMERS BULLETIN.

row in order that a good stand may be obtained and that seeds which
are not permitted to grow may act as a fertilizer for the young plants.
When the plants are well up they are thinned to 15 to 18 inches apart in
the row. During the growth of the plants such cultivation is given as
will keep down the weeds and grass and keep the soil in good tilth.

The bolls do not all ripen at the same time, thus necessitating several
pickings before the crop is harvested. The picking must be done by hand,
as no machine has yet been devised which will gather the fiber free from
the leaves and bolls.

USES AND YIELD.

The uses of cotton are numerous. Indeed, it is more extensively used
than any other fiber. It is most extensively used for cloth, thread, ropes,
pillows, and cushions. In Ilocos blankets are made which, though not
of the finest finish, are very durable. Most of the cotton of the Philip-
pines, however, is used for weaving into coarse cloth for shirts and panta-
loons. The entire cotton plant is useful. Aside from the lint, the seeds
are valuable for the oil they contain, and they are very valuable for cattle
feed and as a soil fertilizer, being rich in nitrogen. A valuable fiber is
produced in the bark of the plant which will be useful when a machine can
be made to extract it. The roots contain medicinal properties.

The proportion of cotton gr i in the Philippines to that consumed is
very small. As none is exported it is difficult to know the exact produc-
tion, but it is safe to say that not more than 100 tons has ever been pro-
duced in a single year. The importations for the twelve months ending
June 30, 1900, and for the twelve months ending June 30, 1901, are
shown in the following table :

190

0.

190

I.

Pounds.

Value.

Pounds.

Value.

Raw cotton

412, 722

$37,145

$69, 240

Cloths _ .

439, 398

7, 033, 825

Yarn and thread _ _.

1, 615, 578

517,506

5, 684, 839

1, 160, 583

Total value 1_.

993, 949

8,263,648

This does not include many of the finer weavings, laces, carpets and
the like.

The Philippines offer many advantages for cotton raising. It may be
that in many localities there is not enough sunshine for that part of the
rainy season during which the cotton is growing, but the labor conditions,
the good soil, and the demand for the fiber and its products are strong
arguments for a more extensive industry.

RAMIE.

Two plants, Boehmeria nivea and B. tenaeissima, belonging to the
family Urticacece, produce fibers which, in commerce, are recognized in-
discriminately by the names China grass and ramie or rhea. It has been
proposed by Dr. Morris, cf the Kew Gardens, that the name ramie refers \

COMMERCIAL FIBERS OF THE PHILIPPINES. 23

to the fiber of B. tenacissima and that of China grass to B. nivea. This
suggestion has been adopted by recent writers. Neither of these fibers is
now produced on a commercial scale in the Philippines, and we have not
collected material by which to determine the species grown here. Neither
has it been determined which fiber possesses the more qualities and char-
acteristics of usefulness. Boehmeria nivea, however, is easily distin-
guished from B. tenacissima in that the lower surface of its leaves is
whitish. This species also grows farther north than the B. tenacissima
and is not so robust in appearance.

These plants are herbaceous, with perennial roots. Under favorable
conditions they grow in clusters of 4 to 12 stalks from one root to a
height of 3 to 7 feet. They are in all probability natives of Java and
Sumatra, though they have been cultivated in China and India for many
centuries. This fiber differs from those previously considered in that it
occupies a different position in the plant's structure. Ramie is a bast
fiber ; that is, it is produced between the epidermis of the bark and the
woody substance of the stalk, but it serves the same purpose of conduct-
ing the sap that tho structural fibers serve. When the plants are grown
without branching the fiber is strong and durable. It can be very finely
divided and the ultimate cells are 120 mm. in length. It is similar to
flax in many of its qualities, except, perhaps, it is not so elastic. When
degummed it can be combed to almost the fineness and softness of silk.
It is not readily affected by moisture and therefore it is preeminently
suited to weaving into cloths. The well-known Canton linen is made from
this fiber. Ramie fiber takes dyes readily, and besides the finer cloths and
textiles made from it, it is used extensively for cordage nets and lines.

PRODUCTION AND USES.

The- greatest quantities of this fiber are produced in China and Japan,
where it is extracted by hand. Indeed, the supply is limited to those
countries where labor is cheap and abundant, for as yet no machine has
been constructed which can produce a fiber as clean and white as that
produced by hand. Moreover, the fiber extracted by hand is in a much
better state for degumming and combing than that extracted by ma-
chinery, because the hand process removes a considerable part of the
gum, which is rendered difficult of removal if permitted to dry on the
fiber. This gum is not soluble in water, as is that of flax and hemp, so
that it must be submitted to chemical treatment, and the conditions under
which it must be treated create an expense of about 4.9 cents per pound
above the hand-extracted fiber. The fiber may also be extracted by
boiling the stalks in water or alkaline solutions, but this has little advan-
tage over the simple hand-cleaning method.

Where the fiber is cleaned by hand the stalk is grasped about 3 or -i
inches above the ground and with a skillful jerk the stalk is broken so

24 FARMERS' BULLETIN.

that it may be stripped from the bark at one motion. The bark is the
stripped of its leaves and a second .jerk detaches it from the root. By
this method the leaves and stalks are left in the field, which are of great
advantage to future crops. The ribbons of bark are kept straight and
piled up in a shed to ferment slightly. When the epidermis is in a
suitable state to peel, the operator takes a few ribbons at a time in the
left hand, and with the right hand, the thumb of which is armed with a
small metal scraper, the epidermis is stripped off. The fiber is then put
out to dry. In China and Japan most of the fiber is exported in this
state. That which is retained for local use is submitted to a treatment
of alkali in order to remove the gum. This renders the fiber more pliable
and it can be more finely separated. In Europe the process of degumming
and combing is carried to a high state of perfection, so that a fiber is
produced which is suitable for mixing with silk or linen. I do not know
that the process of degumming is practiced at all in the Philippines.

The uses to which ramie may be put are quite as general as the uses
of cotton, the cost of production alone preventing it from entering into a
more extensive consumption. That which is produced in the Islands is
used for the most part for mixing with abaca, silk, and the pineapple fiber
in the manufactur? of a great many varieties of fabrics, but the produc-
tion does not supply the demand. In 1900, 563 pounds, valued at $39, and
in 1901, 8,308 pounds, valued at $415, entered the port of Iloilo. This
shows a considerable increase in quantity for 1901, but according to the
figures the price dropped almost two cents per pound.

PLANTING AND CULTIVATION.

Inasmuch as the ramie plant has a perennial root and does not require
to be planted every year, it is quite necessary that the land chosen for the
plantation be put in good tilth by deep plowing and thoroughly fining
the soil. The plants, have to be set so thickly in order to prevent branch-
ing and to cause the stalks to grow stright that after cultivation is not
an easy matter. This deep plowing is quite important also that the soil
may drain well, as the plant will not thrive in a wet soil. For climatic
conditions, this plant requires a humid atmosphere, with frequent rains
or irrigation and a warm temperature so that the growth may be rapid
and luxuriant. Vast areas in the Philippines possess just such character-
istics of soil and climate as this plant desires, and every effort should be
made to promote its cultivation.

The ramie plant may be propagated by seeds, by cuttings, or by divi-
sions of the roots. The last is the best method when it is convenient, as
the seeds are sometimes not produced in abundance and the seedlings
require some care. Propagation by cuttings requires longer to mature a
crop. When it is necessary to plant seeds they should be sown in loose
loam and lightly covered with fine soil. The seed beds should be shaded
with nipa or a bamboo matting to protect the young plants from the direct

COMMERCIAL FIBERS OF THE PHILIPPINES. 25

rays of the sun. When the young plants are from 3 to 5 inches high
they may be transplanted in the field.

Cuttings should be taken from the upper half of the stem of the plant
when mature, and cut from four to six buds. They should be rooted in
porous soil containing a goodly amount of sand, and shaded until the
leaves begin to grow. Plants from cuttings or from seed do not produce
a crop of good fiber the first year.

The root divisions may be transplanted in the field at once, and if the
season be good the plants will produce a smal crop of fiber from the first
cutting of stalks, but the succeeding crops will be heavier.

In general the plants p.re placed in rows 18 inches to 2 feet apart and
from a foot to 18 inches apart in the row. Thick planting is necessary
in order that the plants grow tall and without branches, for upon both of
these characteristics does the value of the fiber depend. If the soil is of
good depth and contains a sufficient amount of humus the plants should
grow to a height of 6 to 8 feet and produce two or three crops a year. On
the best lands in the northern provinces of Luzon, about the only district
in the Philippines where ramie is produced, four crops can be taken
each year.

It is a common practice in some parts to burn over the field after
each successive crop. While the ashes are valuable constituents of the
soil, yet the humus which would result from incorporating the leaves and
stalks in the soil would be of far more lasting benefit. When the crop
is removed the land should be cultivated by plowing, if possible, to
loosen up the soil, and light cultivation should be continued until the
plants become too high to be worked. The application of nitrogenous
and potassic fertilizers usually produces good results, and the application
of barn yard manures will always result in much advantage to the soil.

It is estimated that an acre of three cuttings per year produces 25
tons of stalks. From careful estimates in Prance it has been determined
that a ton of green stalks will produce 46£ pounds of dry fiber (DeLandt-
sheer). This would give a yield for these Islands of about 1,162.5 pounds
of dry fiber per acre. This in turn would yield about 625 pounds of
degummed fiber.

At the present time the untreated fiber is worth from 5 to 7 cents a
pound or from $100 to $140 a ton. At this price and with favorable
climatic conditions and cheap labor the production of this fiber ought
to become a resourceful industry.

PANGDAN.

(Pandanus. )

This genus embraces some thirty species, 17 of which are reported
from these Islands. The common name by which these plants are known
is "screw pine," a name suggested by the spiral arrangement of the leaves
around the stem. Because of this arrangement and the peculiar aerial
roots the plants are highly prized for their ornamental effect.

26 FARMERS' BULLETIN.

Of the species which grow in the Philippines four are worthy of men-
tion: Pandanus diibius Spreng, P. odoratissimm L., P. radicans Blanco,
and P. montanus Miq. These species vary but little, except perhaps P.
odoratissimus, which is more tree-like, being much branched. I have
seen this species growing in considerable abundance in the poor, dry soil
south of Bacolod, Negros. The leaves of all of them are from 4 to 5 feet
long and 1^ to 3 inches wide and spiny along the edges. They bear a
fruit which is somewhat similar in appearance and size to a pineapple.

These plants are of economic value because of their thin fibrous leaves.
While they are not cultivated anywhere in the Islands, yet their leaves
are harvested in large quantities for the manufacture of bags and mats.
Much of the sugar which is produced in Panay and Negros is put up in
bags made from the leaves of these plants, mainly in the Provinces of
Capiz and Antique. Sleeping mats and mats for the floor and wall are
also made from these leaves, and these are of value because when folded
they do not break.

In making thes-? articles the leaves are gathered when mature and
split into fillets of desired width. These are then woven into whatever
shape and pattern desired, and the ends are not tied but lapped. The
material dyes readily, and by the use of fillets of different colors orna-
mental as well as useful weavings may be made. One plant during the
year will produce enough leaves \ or about two sugar bags or a bed mat.

In India the leaves have been used for paper stock, but no trials for
this purpose have thus far been made in the Philippines.

The aerial roots of these plants contain a fiber, though it is seldom
extracted at the present time. The roots are frequently cut, however,
and after removing the pulp from the ends by pounding they are used
for paint and whitewash brushes. In some species this root fiber is fine,
and it is suggested that it might be useful in brush making.

BURRI OR TALIPOT PALM.

( Corypha umbracullifera. )

This plant, a member of the Palmacece, grows in greater or less abun-
dance in all parts of the Archipelago. It is said that the Island of Burias
takes its name because of the abundance of these plants growing there.
Although these palms are nowhere cultivated, yet they are of great utility
to the natives. They bear large fan-like leaves, with all the leaflets ra-
diating from the end of the long stem — in themselves very ornamental.
These leaflets, sometimes 3 or 4 feet long, are used for practically
the same purpose as those of the Pangdan, only they produce a coarser
grade of matting, baskets or hats because the fillets are less pliable and
coarser. Hats of good quality are made from the leaves of the burri, and
the coarser mats and cushion covers are usually of this material. The
fillets may be stripped very finely and they dye readily.

COMMERCIAL FIBERS OF THE PHILIPPINES. 27

This palm thrives in almost any soil except marshes and grows to a
height of 30 to 50 feet. They bear hard, scaly fruits on a raceme which
terminates the stem, and after fruiting die. They are natives of Ceylon
and the Malabar coast.

The Filipinos make sugar, sirup, and wine from the sap of the burri,.
and it also possesses medicinal properties.

NIPA.

(Nipa- fruticans, Thumb. )

It has been said that nipa ranks next to the bamboo as a plant of use-
fulness to the Filipinos. The plant belongs to the Palmacece and grows
almost exclusively in the marshy lands along the shores and in the deltas
of rivers. It does not grow tall, and the leaves are very similar in struc-
ture and color to those of the cocoanut.

When the leaves are mature they are cut and the leaflets are stripped
from the stem. While these leaflets are still green they are bent in the
middle over a small piece of bamboo about two yards long, or shorter if
the particular use to which they are to be put demands it, and sewed near
this bamboo rib or stay with rattan or fine strips of bamboo, thus forming
a small mat with the ends of the leaflets loose. These are laid on the roofs
and sides of houses in the manner of placing shirgles upon a roof.
Almost everywhere in the Philippines, when durability and cheapness are
considered, perhaps no better substitute can be found. In situations
where the wind is not strong for a large portion of the year this material
will last five or six years on a roof of one-half pitch. On roofs of slighter
pitch the period of duration is less. Usually for siding the small mats
are battened down with small strips of bamboo. In this way they will last
for many years.

An acre of marsh land well planted will yield about 50,000 of the
small mats per year.

The young leaver of the nipa are used for making mats, hats, sails,
and rain coats. The leaflets are stripped into fillets and braided or woven
in the same way that pandan and burri are worked.

Juice taken from the flower stem produces a wine or alcohol called
tuba highly esteemed by the natives, and the fruit is edible.

RATTAN.

( Calamus. )

Species of rattan are found in great abundance throughout the
mountainous and forest regions of the Philippines. They are climbing
palms, growing sometimes to a height or length of 300 feet. Almost no
investigations have been made upon these plants in the Philippines, but
specimens of both the "cane" and body rank well with those obtained in
Ceylon and the Malay peninsula.

Rattan has not yet reached the importance of an article of export for
the Philippines, but no doubt, as the better species become known and

28 FARMERS' BULLETIN.

means for obtaining them are improved they will take their place as one
of the articles of export. To the Filipinos they are almost all very useful.
Both the cane and the body are extensively used in the manufacture of I
furniture, baskets, and mats. The vine entire is used for ropes, draw lines
for ferry rafts, walking sticks, and for numerous other purposes. The
cane used for seating chairs, beds, and the like is the outside hard and
resistent portion stripped off. These strips are inelastic, though very
pliable, but care must be taken in bending or tying them that the smooth
outside be on the convex, otherwise they will break easily. Because of
their inelasticity they are very useful for lashings, especially in the con-
struction of houses. In Negros and Panay they are extensively used for
binding bags of sugar, cacao, and copra.

Rattan will probably always remain a product of the forest, for, from
the nature of the plant's growth, tall trees are required for it to run upon.
Advantage will result, however, from training them upon the trees so
that they will not become cramped and crooked.

The most useful species at the present time found in the Philippines
is Daemonorops melanochaetes Blume. While this does not produce
the finest canes, yet they serve the greatest number of purposes, and the
plant entire is most commonly used for draw lines for ferry rafts. The
flowers produce a nectar f ro ^ which the bees render a superior grade
of honey.

CONCLUSION.

In the rich vegetation of the Philippines many fiber-producing plants
occur, the fiber of which is of local use and importance, but whose prop-
erties have not been brought to the notice of buyers and consumers. In
determining the value of a fiber for economic and commercial purposes
the question need not be carried further than the determination whether
the new fiber can be used as a substitute for any of the well known com-
mercial fibers or whether some new economic use can be established for it.
If these considerations are established, then the demand will in time regu-
late the questions of production and extraction. The world's present
demand for fibers is supplied from only about forty species of plants, and
while some of these are less valuable from the standpoint of strength and
durability than some less commonly known ones, yet their use has become
established and machines and methods have been adapted to their manu-
facture. Against these, new fibers must compete though superior utility
may be in their favor.

Among the little known fibers of the Philippines which are of high
quality and promising value may be mentioned the Eruc from Corypha
urens, which is a strong fiber, nonresistant in water, the bow-string hemp,
similar to sisal, and fibers from the species of Hibiscus. Investigations
of these and other economic species are now under way, and it is expected
that their value and utility may be more fully established.

COMMERCIAL FIBERS OF THE PHILIPPINES. 29

Partial list of fibrous plants of the Philippine Islands,

Scientific name.

Native name.

Where found.

Uses, etc.

Abroma alata L

Ambong

For cords and ropes. •"
For ropes, cords, and to a small
extent for fabrics.
For thread and fabrics.

For ropes and cords. "
Do..
Do..
Do.^
Do. ^
Do. v
Do. w
For cords, threads, and fabrics.
For ropes and stuffing.
For cordage, etc. «-
For bindings and lashings.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
For ropes and thatch. *
For brushes, ropes, and course
weavings.
For cordage. •-
Do. ~
Do. +
Do. i/
Do. w
For mats, hate, and bags.
For bindings and lashings.

For cordage. *»
Do. •
Do. t,
Do. ••
Do. *
For mattings, ropes, and paper.
For cordage. «-
Do. *•
For hate, mate, and ropes.
For cordage. *
Do. v
Do. ~
Do. *
For ropes, cords, and fabrics,
largely exported.

For ropes, hate, and mate.
For mate and thatch.

For mate, hats, bags, baskets,
sails, and the like.

For cordage. *»

Do. *•
For cordage, y

Abroma augusta L

Nabo

Occidental Negros
Illocos, Union,
and Abra.
Southern Luzon
and Panay.
Occidental Negros
do

Maguey

Ananas sativa Schult

Pina

Artocarpus incisa L

Imagdong

Antipolo

Bauhinia cnmingiana F.Vill
Bauhinia scandes L _

Banuacalao

Tarlac

Baroy

do

Barinas __ ! do

Banos 1 Tn.va.hns

do

do

Bochmeria nivea Hook

Amirav

Ilocos

Bombax ceiba Linn

Maracapas

Tarlac

Calamus sp - _ __•

Bulobufo __

Bulacan .

Locoan

Masbate

Calamus sp

Lambotan

Tayabas

Calamus afbus Pers

Palasan

Masbate

Calamus buroensis Mart

Talola

Tavabas

Calamus concinnus Mart
Calamus discolor Mart

Ouay-na-pula
Balinanay

Zambales

Bataan

Calamus equestris Willd
Calamus haenkaenus Mart, _
Calamus javensis Blume
Calamus pisicarpus Blume

Quay

do

Ditaan

Zambales

Apis

Yatoc limoran
Ditaan

do

Bataan

Calamus rhomboideus Blume
Calamus scipionum Lour
Caryota urens L

Zambales

Buton __

Masbate

Idyoc erne

Tayabas. Negros__
All coasts

Cocus nucifera L _

Columbia analao Blanco
Corchorus acutangulus Lam.
Corchorus capsularis L

Analao _

Union

Saluyot

Camarines Sur __.

Pasao-na-bilog

Corchorus olitorius L

Pasao

Batangas _

Cordia myxa Linn __ _

Ananong

do

Corypha umbraculifera L

Silac Burri

Union, Negros
Leyte, Samar

Daemonorops melanochae-
tes Blume.
Gnetum scandens Roxb
Gossypium herbaceum L

Parasan

Colias

Tarlac

BuM?

Ilocos -

Grewia laevigata Vahl _

Dauglin

Batangas

GrewiamultifloraJuss

_ __ do _

_ _ do _ _

Hibiscus abelmoschus L

Castuli

Bulacan

Hibiscus tiliaceus L

Balibago _ ___

Tayabas, Masbate
Camarines

Hibiscus tiliaceus L

Impid

Kleinhovia hospita L

Tanag .

Bulacan

Lygodium scandens Sw .,

Nito

Camarines

Melochia arborea Blanco
Musa paradisiaca L

Malasap sap _

Bulacan

Balicnong

Maratarong

Tarlac

Saging

All provinces

Musa textilis L

Abaca

Camarines, A 1 -
bay, Mindoro,
C e b u , and
others.

Napea scabra Blanco

Anabo

Nipa fruticans Thumb

Ogpoy

Zfl.Tnha.lPS

Pandanus dubius Spreng
Pandanus odoratisimus L

NTpa__:::::.::::::

All coasts

Bariu

I Leyte, Samar,
\ Negros, No. Lu-
1 zon, Mindanao.

Camarines

Pangdan

Pandanus radicans Blanco- _
Pandanus montanus Miq

Olango

Mingo

Phaleriasp

Salagos

Pterospermum diversifol-
ium Blume.

Sida fructescens Cav _ __.

Bayog

Queddeng

Tarlac

Escobang naba

WilkstroemiaovataC.A.Mey
Zanthoxylum avicennae DC

Salago.. _

Nueva Ecija

Casay

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