368 Acjrlculf>n-(i1 Gdzctto. of N.S.W. [May 2, 1D08. 



I),s/_rili. — Native country uiiUiiown ; iiitroiliiced from cultivation in Yucatan in 1834 

 to islands (Keys) ort' the peninsula of Florida and theie naturalised. Introduced into the 

 West India Islands ])ai-tl\- fioni I'Morida. jiaitly from the American continent. Supposed 

 by Schott and iMigehnarm t(t lie derived from a wild species, hut further- (evidence as to 

 Yucatan species is wanted ; tiuTe appear to he several in cuUivatii)ii there, ('ultixated 

 in .Australia, Fiji, Hawaii, anil (ierman J'^ast Afrita. 



In India this species varies as reganls presence fir absence of spines on the leaf margins. 

 We have seen spines fully developed, spines jurtially and irregularly developed, and 

 sjjines altogethei' absent on leaves of the same individual ])lant. 



Ill IS'.li'Mr. Fred, 'runicr, l'M,.S.. cont ril>ut<Ml ;ui nil icli- to tlic i-l'/r/'-/'/////vr/ 

 Gazette, wherein lir ([iKitcd \ari(>iis autliontie.s on the cultivation of Sisal 

 lionip. likewise jj;i\ iny some ut' liis own cxpericnce.s. 



Tiie t'ollowin,<;' are e.\ti'acts from liis aiticli' : 



Soil, Climate, and Culture. 



'{'he frost line marks {]['■ limit uf safe cultivation. The miijuriiy of writers state that 

 arid, reeky land is best suited to the L;rowtii of the plant. 'I'iie soil of Yucatan, where 

 the Sisal tilne of connnerce is ])rodueed, is described as a gravelly, stony, and, in sfinie 

 places, of a rocky character, the plants tliriving best and yielding the largest amount of 

 til)re in comparatively arid districts only a few feet above the level of tiie sea. And a 

 moist or rich land is considered unsuited, because of the lesser yield of fibre which would 

 result. Mr. Ranson says : — " The fact of the plant itself flourishing better may be 

 attributed to a (■oml)ination of conditions existing both in the soil and surroumling 

 atmosphere, jirincipa! among which 1 notice tlie |)resence of salt, making it retentive of 

 moisture, and of lime phosphates, resultant from decaying shells. Land bordering on 

 the Atlantic coast, which is evidently alluvium of a comparatively recent date, is 

 generally considei-ed too poor in the constituents necessary to plant-life to make it 

 worth while to attempt any cultivation upon it ; and whilst this may be true as regards 

 a lack of decomjjosed vegetable matter, vet the sludly saline sands will be found to suit 

 such plants as the Yiiirti'<, Af/arc.i, &c., both chemically and ])hysicallj', better than the 

 rich l)lack hummock lands." 



From my own observations, 1 do not favour those arid, rocky situations " whei'c 

 nothing else will grow," and which are so often advocated. In fact, I should say the 

 two extremes should be avoided. I saw on the Perrine (irant Sisal plants that were 

 growing on a stone w^all, but I could not help noticing that those growing on the higher 

 part of this wall were less thrifty and of a much lighter colour than the plants on anothii- 

 poition where the wall was broken down. There is no doubt but that in rich garden- 

 sod very long heavy leaves wouhl be produced, but it is a <|Ueslion whether the yield of 

 fibre would be greater than in the less thrifty leaves, with the disadvantage of a greater 

 weight of pulp and water to handle in extracting the fibre. Some tests should be made 

 to settle this (juestion. In the Bahamas they do not favour this ariddand theory. In a 

 recent report on the 15ahanuis fibre industiy, made Ijy Mr. .lames M. liae to the Covernor, 

 Sir- Ambrose Shea, my own observations in Florida are eoiifii-nred. Here is the extract — 

 " I have both read and heard it broadlj' asserted that Sisal will grow and flourish any- 

 where, no nuitter how sterile or impoverished the land may be. My obser-vations, how- 

 ever, do not confirm this. I do not mean to convey the iilea that reallj- good rich land 

 is necessary for its successful cultivation, but merely to remove the impression, if such 

 there be, that the plant will thrive in drj-, arid sand, or on rocky land void of soil. 

 ^Vorn-out 'provision' and ))ineapple fields appear- to be well suite<l to its cultivation ; 

 while on bi-okeu, r-ocky surfaces, containing imiumerable 'pot-holes' and crevices in 

 which is deposited the oi'dinary black or red earth, the plarrt luxuriates, .\owher-e have 

 I seen it appear nnu'c flourishing than on su(-h lands, ("eitain kinds of white sandy land, 

 found in large (juantities at s.jme islands, also suit it admirably. Oire of these varieties, 

 wliite on the surface fi'om being bleached by the sun, on being turneil, disclosed a dark- 

 colour-ed mixture resembling salt and black pepper, and is known locally by the term 

 'salt and ])epper land.' Another- still darker-i-oloured sandy soil is teriiied 'mixed" 

 land. ^'et another kind which, although white on the surface, is found to be of a 

 reddish colour- an inc-h or two below-, is very fine and close. These varieties doubtless 

 ])ossess sonre oi-ganic uratter, and arc rrot to be confounded with the loose, coarse sand 

 found in scrubby plains and bay ridges, producing a natur-al gi-owtli of stunted palmettos 

 and low brush, aird on which nothing else will grow." 



It is claimed that beyond clearing the laiul of all growth, cutting out trees, and 

 grubbing out stunrps and i-oots, no soil preparation is needed. With the ground clean, 

 weeds can be removed in the spring without tr-ouble, and after the plants are well 

 established no other weeding will be necessary. 



