238 VEGETABLE FIBRES OF THE BAHAMAS. 



other portions of the colony, of a somewhat thicker and tougher nature 

 than those I have described. 



There are two processes resorted to at present for extracting the 

 fibre from these plants. One is the submerging the leaves in water 

 for several days, and then separating by hand the softened and decayed 

 vegetable substance from the fibre ; this process is somewhat objection- 

 able on sanitary groundsj inasmuch as a very offensive odour proceeds 

 from the water in which the leaves have been long saturated. The 

 other process is by gently beating the leaves with a wooden mallet in 

 their green state, and, by water and manipulation, separating the vege- 

 table substance from the fibre. This latter process is tedious, and con- 

 sequently expensive, though the fibre remains white; while in the 

 former case it is stained brown by remaining in the impure water, in 

 which decay has occurred. The amount of fibre obtainable, depends on 

 the profit ; and I fear the profit will be insufficient, until the cost of 

 labour is reduced by the introduction of machinery. 



The description of plants I have mentioned, as being introduced 

 into this colony by Vice-Admiral Fleming and Vice-Consul Baldwin, 

 are extremely well adapted for this climate, as they appear to obtain 

 great nourishment from the air and dew, and seem to thrive equally 

 well in dry as in wet weather. Whereas the Plantain and Banana, 

 though flourishing in the moist rich soils of British Guiana and the 

 Sugar Colonies, are delicate and liable to *^die out" in this less humid 

 climate, except with great attention, both as to artificial manure and 

 localityj and seem only to be in a thoroughly thriving state when 

 planted in cane-holes, which in certain localities are abundant though 

 not general. 



The plants I have alluded to as belonging to the Bamboo, and to the 

 Manilla tribe, are so hardy, that neglect does not hinder their growth ; 

 they force themselves through strong w eeds that are fatal to most other 

 plants, and seem to have no insect or other enemy to contend with. 

 This advantage is importaut ; for it was the insect enemies ia the 

 Bahamas, known as the ' Bug,* and ' Chenille,' or caterpillar, that 

 formerly destroyed the hopes of the Bahama cotton-planter, and trans- 

 ferred that lucrative cultivation to the Southern States of America. 



Since writing the above, I have shown one of the plants above re- 

 ferred to, to a gentleman who has been in New Zealand, and he pro- 

 nounces it to be exactly similar to the New Zealand Tlax plant; the 



