47 



are allowed to dry for 1-3 month.^. Plants thus treated arc 

 better for transplanting and respond more quickly in the field. 



After a year's growth the offshoots are suitable for propaga- 

 tion. It is customary to dry them for several months before 

 planting, just as in the case of the bulbils ; this drying appears 

 to aid the plant in making a good start after being set out. In 

 general, offshoots are universally used for propagation, except 

 for starting plantations at long distances, where Ijulbils are some- 

 times used, as they are smaller and more easily transported. 



The young plants are usually set out at the beginning of the 

 rainy season, in order that they may receive its full benefits. In 

 the Hawaiian Islands the rains begin in November "and continue 

 until March or April. The difference between summer and 

 winter is slight, however, both as to rainfall and as to tempera- 

 ture. From 500 to 1000 plants are set to the acre, the number 

 varying with topography and soil conditions. The planting dis- 

 tances are 6x6, 9x10, 9x12 feet, etc. The Hawaiian Fibre Com- 

 pany uses 9x6 feet as its standard for planting. The land is 

 kept free from weeds and brush by occasional cultivations, aver- 

 aging once every 3-6 months. 



The Hawaiian sisal leaves are not cut until the plants are four 

 years old. After the first cutting the plants live about five years ; 

 then the flowering poles are thrown up and the life of the plant 

 soon terminates. 10-20 leaves are taken off each plant at each 

 harvesting. The leaves are cut when 4-5 ft. long and when the 

 lower ones are nearly horizontal. Only the lower leaves are 

 taken. In the Bahamas the first crop is cut the third or fourth 

 year after the plants are set and annual crops are secured there- 

 after for 6-12 years. In Yucatan the first crop is not cut until 

 the sixth or seventh year, and after that a crop is gathered every 

 eight months for 15-25 years. The leaves are tied into bundles 

 of 50 each, for transporting to the mill. At the time of poling 

 the average sisal plant has produced about 135 leaves, of which 

 100 are mature or nearly so, and 35 leaves which will mature 

 within one year, providing the pole is cut off just at the base 

 of the uppermost leaves. 



Sisal fibre is removed from the leaf in two ways, by hand and 

 by machinery. As is true of other fibers, however, the hand- 

 cleaned sisal fibre is distinctly superior for certain purposes to 

 the machine-cleaned product. In certain sections of Yucatan 

 and Mexico the natives clean the fibre by hand ; one man can 

 clean 6-9 lbs. per day. This fibre is used exclusively for the 

 manufacture of fine hammocks, v/hich sell for their weight in 

 silver. 



The various types of scutching or decorticating machines close- 

 ly resemble one another in principle. The fresh green leaves are 

 fed sidewise into the machine at the rate of 30,000-40.000 leaves 

 per day. About 20 seconds are required in which to clean a single 

 leaf. The green juicy pulp or parenchymous tissue, which com- 



