Next to cotton jute is probably the most important fiber plant in the world. For hundreds of thousands of people in India and in England it is the only source of livelihood. To the inventor who can eliminate or reduce the costly retting process of jute, or of flax, which goes through essentially the same operation, there is waiting a golden future, for it is largely the cheapness of labor and willingness of its natives to stand in the retting pools that has made India the jute region of the world. Lack of space forbids mention of the many other fiber plants, some of which, like flax, are of large importance. Their fibers are used in a variety of ways and are found in different parts of the plant. A few of these, together with the names of the plants and the regions where they are native, are as follows: NAME OF PLANT PRODUCT NATIVE Bowstring hemp. Bowstrings and Tropical Africa _Sansevieria_, several cordage. and Asia. species. Coconut palm. Coir. Tropical America (?) _Cocos nucifera._ Flax. _Linum usitatissimum._ Linen. Europe and Asia. Kapok. Kapok, for stuffing. India. _Eriodendron anfractuosum._ New Zealand flax. Cordage. New Zealand. _Phormium tenax._ Paper mulberry. Paper pulp in Japan. _Broussonetia papyrifera._ Japan. Pita. _Bromelia Pinguin._ Pita fiber, fabrics. Tropical America. Queensland hemp. Jute substitute. Tropical regions. _Sida rhombifolia._ Raffia. _Raphia ruffa._ Cloth and for tying. Madagascar. Ramie. _Boehmeria nivea._ Ramie cloth. Tropical Asia. Rattan cane. Rattan, cordage, India. _Calamus rotang._ and coarse cloth. Rush. _Juncus effusus._[2] Matting in Japan. North temperate regions. Sedge. _Carex stricta._ Rugs and mattings. Northern North America. Spruce. _Picea rubens_, Paper pulp. Northern North _canadensis_, etc. America. Willows. _Salix_, many Basketry. Temperate regions _species_. mostly.