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National institute of industrial Research106-E, Kamla Nagar, Delhi-110 007 (INDIA)

CONTENTS1. INTRODUCTION

The Occurence and Nature of Vegetable FibresBast FibresLeaf FibresFibre IdentificationTesting of FibresChemical AnalysisFibre Fineness and Commercial Use

2. FLAX FAMILY (LINACEAE)Flax (Linum Usitatissimum)Conditions Necessary for Growing FlaxVarietiesCultivationHarvestingPullingDryingRettingDew RettingWater RettingWarm-Water RettingLeachingDouble RettingAerated RettingGreen FlaxScutchingFlax in the U.S.S.RFlax in BelgiumFlax in Other Countries

ChinaJapanEgyptIndiaAustraliaNew ZealandKenyaUganda

Grading of FlaxProperties of FlaxTrade

3. MULBERRY FAMILY (MORACEAE)Hemp (Cannabis Sativa)BotanyBreeding ExperimentsCultivationHarvestingYieldRettingBreaking and ScutchingHemp in ChinaHemp in ChileQuality of HempProperties and Uses of Hemp

4. LIME FAMILY (TITLIACEAE)Jute (Corchorus Capsularis and C. Olitorius)CultivationSoilPreparation of the SoilSowingVarietiesHarvestingRettingExtraction of FibreCost of ProductionJute in BrazilJute in ChinaProduction in TaiwanExperiments on Mechanized Production of JuteVarietiesCultivationHarvestingRibboningScutchingRettingWashingDrying and StorageSorting and GradingProduction of Jute in Other Countries

BurmaU.S.S.R

BorneoMalayaPhilippinesThailandNepalVietnamIranPeruMiscellaneous Countries

Sorting and Grading of JuteUses of JuteThe Jute TradeTriumfetta SpeciesHonckeny Ficifolia'Funga' Fibre (Cephalonema Polyandrum)

5. MALLOW FAMILY (MALVACEAE)Knaf (Hibicus Cannabinus)VarietiesSowingHarvestingGrowth PhasesRettingPests and DiseasesKertaf in IndiaKenaf Production in Various Other Countries

ArgentinaChinaEgyptGuatemalaHaitiItalyMexicoMozamibqueNorth AfricaPapua and New GuineaPeruSouthern RhodesiaSpainThailandSouth Africa

Economics of KenafThe Use of Unretted Kenaf Ribbons for Sack ManufactureProperties of KenafRoselle (Hibiscus Sabdariffa)

Fibres From Other Species of HibiscusUrena LobataCultivationRettingYieldsDistributionLabour Requirements in Fibre PreparationGrading of the FibreProperties and UsesTradeAbutilon SpeciesSida SpeciesPavonia SpeciesThespesia SpeciesMiscellaneous Fibre Plants of the Malvaceae

6. NETTLE FAMILY (URTICACEAE)Ramie (Boehmeria Nivea and its Var. Tenacissima)VarietiesSoils and Growing ConditionsPlantingHarvestingYieldsReplantingFibre ExtractionDegummingProblems of Ramie DegummingDryingRamie in ChinaVarieties in ChinaThe Ramie Industry in JapanVarieties GrownPests and DiseasesGrading of Ramie in JapanSpinning of the FibreRamie in TaiwanRamie in BrazilRamie in Other CountriesUses of Ramie FibreProperties of RamieThe Trade in RamieOther Fibre-Yielding Plants of the Urticaceae

7. PEA FAMILY (LEGUMINOSAE)Sunn or Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria Juncea)Varieties in India

Growing ConditionsHarvesting and YieldRettingWashing and StrippingPreparation of HanksCleaning and DressingGradingCost of ProductionSunn Hemp in CeylonProperties and Uses of Sunn HempTrade and PricesSpanish Broom (Spartium Junceum)Sesbanea Aculeata

8. STERCULIA FAMILY (ST;ERCULIACEAE) 223Abroma AugustaCultivationHarvestingYieldsFibre ExtractionProperties of the Leaf

9. THE MECHANIZED PRODUCTION OF STEMFIBRES 229Large Labour Requirements of Non-Mechanized ProductionAdvantages of Mechanized ProductionHarvesting MechanicallyRibboning MachinesProblems of RibboningDryingRettingWashingCosts of Mechanized Production

10. AGAVE FAMILY (AGAVACEAE) 259Agave SpeciesBotanyFibre Yields of Various SpeciesBreeding Experiments With Agave SpeciesNature of the Fibres in the Agave LeafSisal (Agave Sislana)CultivationClimate and SoilPreparation of the Land

PlantingFertilizersHarvestingYieldsDecortication and Decorticating MachinesFlume TowStructure of the Sisal IndustryDryingArtificial DryingBrushingGradingBalingLabour Requirements for Sisal Production

Sisalana in BrazilProduction in Other CountriesProperties of SisalUses of SisalTradeHenequen (Agave fourcroydes)CultivationHarvestingDecorticationDryingUsesTradeCantala (Agave Cantala)CultivationHarvestingRettingUsesTradeAgave LetonaeFibres from other Agave species

11. NARCISSUS FAMILY (AMARYLLIDACEAE) 322Furcrea SpeciesMauritius Hemp (Furcrea Gigantea Var. Willemettiana)YieldsExtraction of the FibreRettingUses of the Fibre in MauritiusProperties of the FibreFurcraea GiganteaFurcraea CabuyaFurcraea Macrophylla

Furcraea AndinaFurcraea HumboldtianaFurcraea CubensisCurculigo Species

12. LILYFAMILY(LILIACEAE) 344New Zealand Flax (Phorium Tenax)Production of Phormium in New ZealandVarietiesPropagationCultivationDiseases, etc.HarvestingStrippingWashing & BleachingScutchingBaling and GradingAdvantages and Disadvantages of Phormium ProductionProduction and CostsPhormium Tenax in ArgentinaPhorium Tenax in South AfricaPhoriutn in Other CountriesProperties of Phorium FibreTradeSansevieria SpeciesPropagation and CultivationLily Family (Liliaceae)Extraction of the fibreProduction in MexicoOther CountriesYieldPropertiesYucca And Some Relatives

13. PINEAPPLEFAMILY(BROMELIACEAE) 376Pineapple Fibre (Ananas Comosus)CultivationProduction in the PhilippinesProduction in Other CountriesExtraction by MachinePita Fibre or Silk Grass (Aechmea magdalenae)HarvestingYieldCaroa Fibre (Neoglazovia variegata)Fibre From Other Members of the Bromeliaceae

14. BANANA FAMILY (MUSACEAE) 390Abaca or Manila Hemp (Musa Textilis)Varieties •CultivationPropagationDiseases and PestsHarvestingExtraction of the FibreGrading of the Fibre in the PhilippinesProduction of Abaca in Central AmericaCost of Producing AbacaProduction in BorneoAbaca in MalayaCanton And Pacol FibresProperties of AbacaUsesTradeFibres From Other Species of Musa and a Related Genus

15. PALM FAMILY (PALMAE)Coir or Coconut Fibre (Cocos nucifera) .Collection of FruitRemoval of HusksRettingProduction of Coir YarnGrading of YarnCosts of ProductionCost of Production of Fibre and YarnMattingsBristle or Coco FibreDyeing of Coir FibreMattress Fibre and 'Combings'ProductiQn of Coir Fibre in IndiaProduction in the PhilippinesMachine Extraction of Coir FibreProperties of CoirTradeCrin Vegetal (Chamaerops humilis)BotanyDistributionThe Industry in MoroccoExtraction of the FibreUses of the FibreTechnical CharacteristicsTrade

Tucum Fibre (Bactns Setosa)Date Palm Fibre (Phoenix Dactylifera)'Doum' Fibre (Hyphaene Thebaica)

16. BOMBAX FAMILY(BOMBACACEAE) 459Kapok (Ceiba Pentandra)SoilsPropagationYieldsHarvestingHullingDryingRemoval of SeedsBalingKapok in IndiaCollection of the FlossPreparationGradingBalingProperties of Kapok FibreUses of Kapok

17. MtLKWEEDFAMILY(ASCLEPIADACEAE) 471Akund Floss (Calotropis Procera and C. Gigantea)YieldsPreparationGrading and Pa,ckingTradeUsesKendyr Fibre (Apocynum Venetum)Asclepias Species

18. BRUSH-MAKING FIBRES 476Fibres Used in Earlier TimesProperties Required in Brush-Making FibresBahia Piassava (Attalea funifera)Botany and GerminationCollection and Preparation of the FibreProperties and UsesPara Piassava (Leopoldinia Piassaba)West African Piassava (Raphia Hooken and R. Graolis)Madagascar Piassava (Vonitra Fibrosa) ,Mexican Fibre (Agave lecheguilla)Harvesting and Extraction of the Fibre

Cleaning and GradingUsesJaumave Fibre (Agave FunkianaJCoco Fibre (Cocos Nucifera)Palmyra or Bassine Fibre (Borassus Flabellifer)Kitool Fibre (Caryota Urens)Gomuti Fibre (Arenga Saccharifera)Broom Root (Muhlenbergia MacTOura)Italian Whisk (Sorghum Vulgare)Palmetto Fibre (Sabal Palmetto)

19. PAPER-MAKING FIBRESProperties for Paper-MakingTreatment for Conversion into PulpWoodEsparto GrassCollection from Wild Plants in North AfricaProduction in SpainTreatment and UsesStrawBamboo.BagasseOther Materials

20. MISCELI"ANEOUS FIBRESToquilla (Carludovica Palmata)Preparation For Making Panama HatsWeaving and BleachingAlpinia ChinensisPolygala Gomesiana And Other Sources or Rope, etc.