A 1930 technical article from The Melliand on how bast fibers twist and untwist as their moisture content changes. It describes the spiral fibril structure of hemp, ramie and flax, with spiral angles and calculated twists per meter. It also covers desiccator experiments and a simple torsion apparatus for telling hemp from flax. Torsion factors measured for dry ramie and for viscose rayon at various temperatures are given, with photographs of the apparatus.