Vol. III. No. 65. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



327 



CULTIVATION OF MANILA HEMP. 



The following notes on the cultivation of Jlanila 

 hemp are extracted from Fanner's BnUethi No. 4 of 

 the Philippine Bureau of Agriculture, 'Preliminary 

 Report on the conmiercial fibres of the Philippines': — 



Unlike many of the edible bananas, Mum textilis 

 jiroduce.s .seed-bearing fruits. These seeds njay he planted 

 for the reproduction of new plants ; but e.xceiit where very 

 e.xteusive plantings are wanted, a better method is to plant 

 the small suckers which spring from the root of the parent 

 plant. After the plantation has reached its maturity and 

 harvesting is in process, the old plants are cut near the root.s, 

 and the suckers are left to gro'n- up. After the jilants reach 

 maturity, the crop is constantly renewing itself so that 

 harvesting can go on almost continuously. The plant is in 

 the best condition for producing fibre about the time the 

 tiower-bud reaches the top of the plant. The stalk is then 

 cut as near the root as i)0ssible and the leaf-sheaths are 

 strip[icd off. The fibre is the so-called fibro- vascular bundles 

 which make up part of the structural substance of the leaf- 

 sheath surrounding the flower-stem from tlie ground to the 

 expansion of the leaves. The length of the leaf-.sheath 

 determines to some extent the length of the fibre. This leaf- 

 sheath is thicker along the centre than it is at the sides, and 

 in order to facilitate the striiiping of the fibre it is split 

 longitudinally into strips i to 3 inches wide. The strips 

 from the thicker portion of the sheath are then torn tangen- 

 tially, inasmuch as the fibre is contained mainly in the 

 outer part of the sheath, and the inner portion of the thick 

 strips which are torn off con.5ist mainly of the valueless pulp. 



EXTE.\CTI0N OF FIBRE. 



For strijiping the fibre the method almost universally in 

 use is to draw these prepared strii>s between the edge of 

 a knife or 'bolo' and a hard, smooth block. The apparatus can 

 be set up at frequent intervals in the vicinity of the plants to 

 be cut. A nipa shed is constructed, though sometimes the 

 jirotection and shade of a large tree i.s chosen. To two 

 uprights set in the ground, a horizontal jiole is attached with 

 'bejucos' or rattan canes. A short, strong knife or 'bolo' with 

 a wooden handle is firmly attached on a pivot or fulcrum 

 ujion the upper surface of the horizontal pole. The handle 

 is attached by a rattan cane to a bamboo spring arrangetl in 

 the roof of the shed, or to a branch of the tree, while another 

 rattan cane runs from the handle to a treadle on the ground, 

 which can be worked by the foot of the ojierator. The 

 .spring in the roof above holds the knife upon the pole or, in 

 some cases, a block, with a uniform pressure, while the strip 

 of the leaf sheath is being drawn between its edge and the 

 jiole or block. By placing the foot upon the treadle the 

 pressure is released and the fibre maj- be redrawn or a new 

 strip inserted. 



When it is not the desire of the operator to produce 

 a fibre of fine texture and white colour, a knife with finely 

 serrated edge may be used. By using a knife of this kind 

 there is less waste of the fibre, but at the same time more of 

 the undesirable pulp and, consequently, fresh juice is left 

 with the fibre. This residue of pul[) and juice drying upon 

 the fibre gives it an undesirable colour, and if too nuich is 

 left on, the strength of the fibre is injured and the 

 market value is much reduced. The whitest fibre is 

 drawn under a knife with a smooth edge and inunediately 

 after the plant is cut. If the stalks and strijis arc 

 allowed to lie in the sun for any length of time before 

 the fibre is drawn, the fibre will be coloured more or 

 less yellow. As a mean.s of increasing the fineness 



and whiteness of the fibre the strips may be drawn several 

 times when they are fre.sh. Of course, the greater the 

 nunrber of time.s the fibre is drawn and the greater the 

 pressure upon the knife, the more is the waste ; but the 

 increased value of white fibre will compensate for a certain 

 amount of waste. 



In yield Masa textilis varies considerably. In Albay, 

 Sorsogon, and ilasbate, where the rainfall is heavy and the 

 humidit}- of the atmo.sphere is high, the yield ranges from 

 12 to 16 piculs of dry fibre per hectare each year (687'5 to 

 967'6 lb. per acre). In other provinces where the climate is 

 drier the yield may not exceed 6 piculs per hectare. In 

 some localities the quality of the fibre is injured by the work 

 of borers. Wherever these insects work the fibre is either 

 cut entirely or it is injured in colour and strength. 



Several attempts have been made to perfect machines 

 for extracting this fibre economically, but these machines 

 have either fallen far short of their requirements or have not 

 met with favour among the natives who have had occasion 

 to use them. The most essential feature at the present time 

 of a machine for this work is that it be light and portable. 

 The greater part of JIanila hemp is produced on the 

 mountain or volcano sides or on very rough ground, and as 

 the plant stalks are quite heavy, all planters have found it 

 most economical to transport their apparatus rather than the 

 material. It is hoped, however, that some apparatus can be 

 devised to avoid the great waste which renders the present 

 method objectionable. It is variously estimated that from 

 20 to 30 per cent, of the fibre is wasted by this crude process 

 of drawing, and this fibre, too, is fine and of good quality. 

 The thought is at once suggested that this waste fibre might 

 be used as a paper stock if it is not too much injured by 

 - the juice and pulp with which it is mixed, and if it can be 

 economically separated from them. This is .a line of 

 investigations which will be subsequently taken up. 



CLASSIFICATION AND USES. 



For commercial purposes the fibre is classified into 

 several groups according to colour, texture, and strength. 

 Length plays a less important part in the commercial grades. 

 The great lightness, combined with strength, is the character- 

 istic of this fibre which gives it its great value. The 

 qualities usually recognized are the superior, current, second, 

 and red. Then there are numerous gradations in each of 

 these groups. The fibre for export is usually tied in small 

 wisps or hanks, and these are put up in bales weighing 

 2 piculs (27.'i 9).). 



In all countries to which this fibre is exported the 

 greater part of it is used for cordage and ropes. In the 

 United States immense quantities are made into binder 

 twine, and because of its lightness, strength, and compara- 

 tive durability, it is very serviceable for ship's ropes and 

 cables. From old and disintegrated ropes our valuable 

 Manila paper is made. In the Philippines the finer qualities 

 are used in the manufacture of textile fabrics. Throughout 

 the entire archipelago these weavings are worn extensively by 

 both men and women, and when the fibre is mixed with cotton 

 a durable fabric is produced which is well adapted to the 

 climatic conditions of the islands. It is believed that the 

 demand for the better qualities of these fabrics will increase 

 in the United States and Euroi)e. A small use is made of 

 the fibre in upholstery, packing, and brush making. 



For observations on the prospect of establishing 

 an industiy in Manila hemp outside the Philippines 

 readers are referred to the Agricultural, JVewd (Vol. 

 Ill, p. 201). 



