43 



a few plants from the vicinity of Merida, Yucatan. In later 

 years stock from the Florida plants was carried to the Bahamas, 

 Trinidad, and many other parts of the world. 



In 1893 the Hawaiian Commissioner of Agriculture and For- 

 estry imported about 20,000 sisal plants from Reasoner Bros., 

 Oneca, Florida. The favorable results of the experimental work 

 in Hawaii led to the organization, in 1898, of the Hawaiian 

 Fibre Company. This corporation secured about 300 acres on 

 the coral limestone coastal plain which skirts leeward Oahu, and 

 began planting on a commercial basis. The original investment 

 represented about $37,000. The land controlled by this com- 

 pany now (1918) comprises about 3000 acres, with a capitaliza- 

 tion of $150,000, and an annual yield of about 500 tons. The 

 company employs about 60 laborers, men and women ; at present 

 all are Japanese. The minimum wage is $1.25 per day (U. S. 

 gold) ; in addition to this, living quarters, land for gardens, 

 water, insurance, fuel, and medical attendance are furnished by 

 the company. This gratuity represents an expenditure of over 

 $ .25 per day per laborer. These wages correspond with those 

 of the sugar and pineapple plantations for the same classes of 

 labor, and strikingly indicate that Flawaii, contrary to popular 

 opinion upon the mainland, does not possess "cheap labor". 



Both varieties of sisal, clongata and Sisalana, are perennial, 

 with rosettes of 50-75 leaves. These are nearly straight, erect 

 or spreading, Z-6 ft. long, ^-SYz ins. wide, and about 34 i"- 

 thick above the base. The apex terminates in a sharp spine 

 about 1 in. long. The henequen (elongafa) develops a distinct 

 trunk 3-6 ft. high. Its leaves are 2-2^2 ins. thick at the base, 

 and are always armed with conspicuous marginal spines or hooks. 

 It has a life period of 15-25 years. 



Sisal (Sisalana) has a very short trunk; the leaves are rarely 

 more than 1 in. thick at the base ; are pale green but not glaucous 

 and are 4-6 ft. long by 4-5j/^ ins. wide. They are usually 

 smooth-margined but sometimes bear here and there a few 

 unequal spines. The young Hawaiian sisal plants have foliage 

 wdth marginal spines, but these spines disappear as the plants 

 grow older. This fact corroborates the theory that Sisalana 

 is derived from elongata or an equivalent form; the latter prob- 

 ably represents a more primitive condition. The terminal spine 

 of sisal is stout, and purplish-black in color. Sisal produces a 

 stronger, softer, whiter fiber than henequen. Its life period is 

 from 8-10 years, as contrasted with the 15-25 year life of hene- 

 quen, and this shortness of life constitutes one of the physiological 

 problems of sisal culture. Sisalana is raised in the Bahamas, 

 Turks and Caicos Islands, Santo Domingo, Central America. 

 East Africa, Java, India, and the Hawaiian Islands. However, 

 the production of henequen in Yucatan greatly exceeds the com- 

 bined production of all other localities. 



Upon maturity the sisal plant sends up a flowering pole or 



