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its fibre for the manufacture of ropes, bass, lariats, bridles, cordage 
and seines, but it is only recently thai attention lias I n seriouVh 
directed towards its industrial development, 
The Zapupe plant is described as similar in appearance to the 
Henequen (A(/are si.vtlfinu) of Yucatan, but differs from that 
plant in producing a greater number of leaves, which are also 
longer and more fleshy, with a needle-like thorn at the apex and 
with serrated margins. Leaf for leaf. Zapupe yields rather loss 
fibre than Henequen, but the total yield per plant is greater o win- 
to the greater number of the leaves. The plan* readily reproduces 
itself, as a poling stem produces from 2,00!) to 2.~>oi> bulbils in- 
young plants in addition to suckers from the roots of the stump. 
_ The first crop of leaves may be harvested three years from the 
time of planting, and from the first to the third year after 
be-in n in., to yield a plant will produce K>0 to 110 leaves' annually. 
Gradually decreasing to between 7.*> and So leaves, continuing pro- 
ductive for about to years. Kach plant will vield on an average 
from 2^ to 3 lbs. of fibre. The leaves may be gathered throughout 
ih<' year. 20 to 2f> being cut_ -very 1»0 days. The plant requires 
plants art plaeed f" ! b\ » - |, t , ua each wav. which allows of 
1,0011 to be planted to the acre. The plant is said to thrive best in 
a sandy and rocky environment. 
The average yield mentioned in the U.S. Consular Report— 
40 to 48 oz. per plant — gives the average yield per leaf at 
about or under half-an-ounce. This seems low as compared with 
the Sisal plant as grown in India, where (sc> Agricult. Ledger. 
liKK), No. G, p. 62) it has been found that 2 to %\ oz. of fibre may 
be obtained from a single leaf. In this case the proportion of fibre 
to leaf wa> from 1 •' to .". p. r cent. This proportion was probably 
unusually high : in other cases the ratio of fibre to leaf has worked 
out at 3 to 3} per cent. Tin data <upplh I si gards Zapupe are 
insullicient to admit of exact comparison with Sisal, and more 
precise figures than have yet been given are desirable. 
In collecting the leaves the labourers use a long-bladed knife 
with a sharp hookdike curve at the end, which is introduced 
between the stump and the leaf, and with a dexterous upward jerk 
the leaf is severed close to the stump. This is essential as an 
uneven, ragg riorate and often die. The leaves 
are then mad. into bundles ol .">0. tin ne< lle-iik. points being cut 
off before they are taken to the cleaning shed for the extraction 
of the fibre. When properly extracted the fibre is described as 
being white, strong and flexible, and rope made from it is said 
neither to kink nor to mildew when exposed to dampness or 
when immersed in water. 
In an article on the subject which appeared in the "Guadalajara 
Gazette" of March 2">th 'last, it is stated that the principal pro- 
prietors of Tantovuean in Vera Cruz have formed a company, with 
a capital of $100,000, to export the Huasteca fibre called Zapupe 
or Huasteca Henequen. 
The excellent results obtained bv the agriculturists of T 
"«<! < oahnila from this plant have decided the people of Tantoyu- 
can to follow their example. The shares of the new company have 
already been sold up to $40,000. 
