CULTIVATION OF SISAL IN THE BAHAMAS. 613 



to be weeded, and this process is said to be necessary about twice 

 a year, until the sisal plants attain a height of three or four feet, 

 when weeding is no longer needed. The most troublesome enemy 

 of the planter, in the way of weeds, is the " May -pole," as it grows 

 very rapidly, but the roots are said to die after the third cutting. 

 In about four years the sisal plant produces what are called 

 r " ripe leaves " that is, leaves that are horizontal and large 



Clearing the "Pine- yard" for Sisal near Nassau, N. P. 



enough to cut. The cares of the cultivator are now about over, 

 and all he has to do is to cut off the leaves as fast as they mature, 

 and manufacture his fiber. 



The cultivation of sisal is of such recent introduction into the 

 Bahamas that as yet none of the large plantations have begun to 

 produce to any extent ; so for a description of the next stages we 

 will turn to Yucatan, where, as has been said, the industry has 

 been carried on from time immemorial. There the men cut the 

 leaves off close to the trunk, and lay them tip to butt in bundles 

 of fifty, when they are carted to the machines. The cutting of 

 thirty bundles, or fifteen hundred leaves, is considered a good 

 day's work. In order to save the cost of transportation, as the 

 leaves yield but about five per cent of fiber, there is usually a ma- 

 chine to every one hundred acres. The machine now in use con- 

 sists of a horizontal wheel, on the face of which brass strips are 



