45 



One thousand leaves produce about 50 Ihs. of clean fibre. Oi 

 the 4% available fibre in the sisal leaves, a certain percentage is 

 wasted in the machine-milling. This waste can be dried, carded, 

 and worked into a material for stuffing mattresses. This sisal 

 mattress-fibre is excellent for the tropics, being light and cool 

 and distinctly sanitary. The short waste fibres also can be used 

 for making a paper much like Manila, and used for wrapping, 

 etc. 



The water leaf -pulp, which is very acid, is returned to fields 

 as a fertilizer. This material possesses possibilities as a by- 

 product that have not yet been developed. 



Sisal fibre has a world market and shipments go from Hawaii 

 to many ports. San Francisco, New York, and Japan are the 

 chief markets. Practically the only competition is that of Yuca- 

 tan, which raises 90% of the world crop. Havv^aii contributes 

 about one-tenth of one per cent, and does not begin to supply the 

 demands for her sisal. The United States imports annually 

 from 15 to 18 million dollars worth of sisal and henequen fibre, 

 most of which goes into binder twine. The steadily increasing 

 demand for sisal fibre is concomitant with the rapidly extending 

 utilization of mechanical grain binders, using twine, throughout 

 the world. The shipments of sisal from Hawaii to the United 

 States mainland for the past six years, have been as follows : 

 Year Ending 



June 30 Tons. V^alue 



1916 445 $68,764 



1915 474 52,608 



1914 457 59,915 



1913 325 44,221 



1912 334 34,499 



1911.. 151 15,096 



Sisal is characteristic of regions possessing a continuous warm 

 and somewhat dry climate. Contrary to popular opinion, it is 

 not highly xerophytic, but is sensitive to light frosts. The lowest 

 recorded temperature in the sisal-growing districts of Yucatan 

 is 48° ; the annual precipitation is 29-39 inches. The altitudinal 

 range is relatively narrow. Most sisal land lies at elevations of 

 not more than 100 ft. above sea level. It is successfully grown, 

 however, up to altitudes of 2500 ft. The main plantings of the 

 Hawaiian Fibre Company lie at about 700 ft. 



Sisal is exacting in its requirements with reference to shade 

 and soil water. It will not grow in swampy soil where its roots 

 are immersed in stagnant water; it is intolerant of shade. The 

 best sisal lands are brilliantly illuminated, thoroughly drained 

 plains, with rich soil and fairly abundant rainfall. Although 

 sisal can and does grow successfully on thin, dry, rocky soil, the 

 quality and yield of fiber is markedly improved when the plant 



