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DYEING AND CALICO PRINTING.

Bombay hemp is the fibre derived from the Hibiscus cannabinus ,* its use is,however, very limited.

Amongst the fibres obtained from leaves those chiefly in use are:—NewZealand flax, the fibre from the Phormium tcnax. This fibre is very strong,especially in its crude state, but it is very difficult to bleach. The plantcould very well be cultivated in Europe, but as the process by which thefibre is obtained is a tedious one, and its natural colour a light cinnamon-brown, it is not favourably received. A gummy juice is obtained from thisplant, which is beginning to be used for rendering envelopes adhesive, aspaper fastened by it cannot be opened either by damping or steaming.

Several species of the Agave tribe yield fibres which are sometimes used,but they are not well known in Europe.

Manilla hemp is the fibre derived from the Musa textilis , and other speciesof the same family. This fibre is brought to Europe, and, mixed with hemp,is made into rope, twine, sacking, &c. The leaves of the Bromelia ananas(the pine-apple plant) contain fibres of great comparative whiteness, but evenin such countries as Mexico, where the pine-apple is so plentiful as occasionallyto be used as fuel, the extraction of the fibre from the leaves is not attemptedto any great extent, the difficulty of getting rid of the concomitant vegetablematter being too great, especially as cotton can be grown there, and in mostof the countries where the various fibres alluded to are produced.

Coir, or cocoa-nut fibre, is obtained from the exterior shell ( pcricarpium ) ofthe fruit of the cocoa-nut palm. It is used in its unbleached natural state formaking matting, &c.

Very little is known about the action of dyes on these fibres ; some of themare never dyed; even linen (flax fibre), which after bleaching is pure cellulose,does not take some colours so well as cotton.