52 



by saying that it was not true that stoncy and arid lands were best 

 adapted for the growth of sisal. On the contrary, while sisal 

 would grow and thrive on stoney and arid lands, it grew and 

 thrived better on rich lands that were better watered. The object 

 was to produce a long, clean, white fibre, with some strength. 

 That was what the cordage men wanted. The sisal grown on the 

 richer lands, with more rainfall, gave the longer, cleaner and 

 whiter fibre, 

 fibre. And Mr. Weinrich showed samples to prove what he said. 



The long leaf varieties were better, because they not only pro- 

 duced a longer fibre, but took no more labor in handling than the 

 short leaf kinds. As to the planting, experiments at the planta- 

 tion at Sisal have convinced him that it was better to set the 

 plants about nine feet apart each way. 



Mr. Weinrich explained the process of getting the sisal fibre 

 from the leaf by machinery, and showed samples of rope and 

 paper and mattress stuffing made from sisal, the paper and mat- 

 tress stuffing being from the waste that the decorticating machine 

 did not save. He said that the best fibre was made from sisal by 

 hand, and that in Yucatan hammocks made from this class of 

 fibre sold for their weight in silver. The people of Yucatan, how- 

 ever, were very jealous of their industry, and it was almost im- 

 possible to get plants from them. They would scald them before 

 shipment, so that they would not grow. Heat was the greatest 

 enemy the sisal had. Here in Hawaii there were no pests that 

 harmed it, although they had a beetle in Yucatan that killed the 

 plants. The speaker explained the remarkable fecundity of the 

 sisal, one plant producing between 2000 and 3000 young ones 

 from its bloom stock, besides any number of suckers each year. 



In conclusion, ]\Ir. Weinrich exhibited a number of fibres from 

 the agave americana, and the sansiveria, which latter would pro- 

 duce a fabric as fine as the celebrated pina cloth of ]^Ianila. He 

 showed samples also of Manila hemp fibre, and fibres of divers 

 sorts from all parts of the w^orld, demonstrating that there was 

 room in Hawaii for the development of a most important in- 

 dustry. 



An interesting general discussion followed his paper, and the 

 Institute then adjourned. 



