(b) An important group of raw material closely allied to the wools are the epidermal hairs of the Angora goat (mohair), the llama, alpaca. Owing to their form and the nature of the substance of which they are composed, they possess more lustre than the wools. They present structural differences from sheep wools which influence the processes by which they are prepared or spun, and the character of the yarns; but the differences are only of subordinate moment.
Plate I.
| Fig. 1.—RAW SILK. Bombyx mori. Filament of bave, viewed in length. × 110. | Fig. 2.—RAW SILK. Bombyx mori. Single fibres in transverse section showing each fibre or “bave” as dual cylinder. × 235. |
| Fig. 3.—ARTIFICIAL “SILK.” Lustra-cellulose viscose process, single fibres in transverse section × 235. Normal type—polygon of 5 sides—with concave sides due to contact of the component units of textile filament. | Fig. 4.—WOOL FIBRES. Australian merino viewed in length, × 235. Surface imbrications—the structural cause of true felting properties. |
| Fig. 5.—FLAX STEM. Linum usitatissimum. Transverse section of stem, × 235, showing bast fibres occupying central zone. | Fig. 6.—RAMIE. Section of bast region, × 235. Showing bast fibres bundles but only slightly occurring as individuals. |
Plate II.
| Fig. 7.—JUTE. Bast bundles. Section of bast region, × 235, showing agglomerated bundles of bast fibre, each bundle representing a spinning unit or filament. | Fig. 8.—MAIZE STEM. Zea mais. Fibro-vascular bundle in section. × 110, typical of monocotyledonous structure. |
| Fig. 9.—COTTON. FLAX. RAMIE. JUTE. Ultimate fibres in the length, × 110. Portions selected to show typical structural characteristics. | Fig. 10.—COTTON. FLAX. RAMIE. JUTE. Ultimate fibres—transverse section, × 110. Note similarity of ramie to cotton and jute to flax. |
| Fig. 11.—ESPARTO. Cellulose. Ultimate fibres of paper making pulp. Typical fusiform bast fibres. × 65. | Fig. 12.—SECTION OF HAND-MADE PAPER. × 110. Ultimate component fibres disposed in every plane. |
(c) Various animal hairs, such as those of the cow, camel and rabbit, are also employed; the latter is largely worked into the class of fabrics known as felts. In these the hairs are compacted together by taking advantage of the peculiarity of structure which causes the imbrications of the surface.
(d) Horse hair is employed in its natural form as an individual filament or monofil.[1]
Vegetable Fibres.—The subjoined scheme of classification sets out the morphological structural characteristics of the vegetable fibres:—