Mi:. M*3I Mode of Preparing Mxmi i 1 1, ,,,/>. 227 



Luzon, the chief of tin- Philippine group, of which Manila is the capital 

 town and the seal of government. 



The Philippine Islands form a colony of Spain, second in importance 

 • •illy to Cuba. 



One map, now exhihited, shows their position and extent in the Eastern 

 An-hipelago; the other map, which was constructed at the town of 

 Manila, shows the political subdivisions, like our counties, each under a 

 governor, or alcalde. The districts in which the substance known in tin- 

 i •mmtrv u u Manila Kemp n is produced, are designated on the map as 

 Alh.iy-Camariiics, \. and S., Batanyas, and the Islands of Panay and 

 Marimliiijue. 



While on a visit at a sugar-producing establishment in Laguna district, 

 having expressed a wish to see hemp prepared, my host, an accomplished 

 Spanish naturalist, desired some of his workmen from the hemp district 

 to gratify me. This was easily done by going into the woods, cutting 

 down tho first tree, or rather large herbaceous plant, of the proper sort, 

 and speedily putting up the simple apparatus necessary. 



The hemp plant is described in the Flora de Filipinas, a botanical work 

 in Spanish, by a most estimable man, Manuel Blanco, an Augustine 

 friar, with whose acquaintance I was honoured during my residence at 

 Manila. This book — now produced — is interesting as a specimen of 

 Manila printing and binding ; and possesses the higher value of being 

 the only correct and complete account of the botany of a little known part 

 of the world. It is the result of a lifetime, from manhood to old age, 

 ■pent by the worthy friar, so far as he felt free to intermit civilising 

 labours in his clerical vocation, and give time to his darling science of 

 botany. 



He thus describes the hemp plant, the native name of which is 

 Abaca : — 



Musa Trogloditarum textaria. 



Corolla — the lower lip almost ent 



Stamens — live, without the rudiment of the sixth. 



Fruit — fate-ribbed, and with many perfect seeds. 



He considers it a variety of tho Musa Trogloditarum erraus, a rare 

 plantain which grows spontaneously in the woods, with fruit of about i 

 finger's-length, hitter, and non-edible; and the fibres from which plant 

 appear to be fully as strong as those from the cultivated variety. 



In the districts already named and pointed out on the map, the hemp 

 plant is cultivated with care, and is of much utility. The fruit is eaten, 

 but is small, hardly exceeding two inches in length. The seeds arrive 

 at complete ripeness. The sap <>f the : tetimes used medicinally 



bj the nai 



When hemp is to be made, a tr. Own by the root, close to the 



ground. This is an easy process, as it is not timber or woody fibre, but 

 comp -i\e layers of vegetable substance. In girth, it is about 



equal to the common plantain. Bay eight to twelve 10 hes in diam 



