365 



^vhicll uiust buvc iiudcrgouo tlio deiiberiitioii of able uiiuds, ^vllosc ivrouiplings of in 

 tcrcst would impart a })ractic:;l disceruuicnt Avhich 1 could not claim lor niyself. I am 

 the more pleased, therefore, that I am uot charged Mith tbo fault of anocjatiug to my- 

 self tho right to make suggestions which I believed might, at least, lead to a ]u-oUtablo 

 discussion. Your committee lias given it that turn, and I feel sure that southern 

 planters will be much edihcd by the dispassionate and very sensible views which have 

 been thus so clearly expressed. I will take care that their opinions shall not bo lost. 



This Department is not unmindful of tho condition of the southern people, and it is 

 in no spirit of exultation that avo declare its purpose, in tho exercise of its legitimate 

 powers, to aid those who most need all its information and tho benetits it has to be- 

 stow. 



I note tho remarks uuide in the report ou the suliject of the si;cc of farms, and am uot 

 at all surprised at its reckonings, for your early teachings run thus; and you will bo 

 uo more surprised at the expression of my conviction, that one-half of 800 acres, under 

 proper cultivation, and Avith far less labor, Avill make a greater i)roduct. 



if southern planters Avill believe and act upon the fact that thex'o is an element of 

 fertility given to tho soil by a proper rotation of crops, which uo amount or quality ol 

 applied fertilizers will loug\'ontiuue to supply, they will be greatly benefited. You 

 ma,y make the earth drunk Avith applied manures and stimulants, but it is a druukeuuess 

 Avhich stinuilatcs to ultimate vxhaustion and death. 

 I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant. 



FKED'K \VATT6, 



Cummio>jioiicr. 



Dii. II. B. Cook, 



Corresponding JSecn'hxri/ of Jkcvh Islaiul Furmcra^ Club. 



In the rejoinder of the club to this letter of the Couimisdoiicr, the 

 correspoudiug secretary says: 



Your letter in response to tho report of our committee is so kiudly complimeutar:\% 

 aud expresses such generous sentiments toAvard our people in their present exhausted 

 condition, aud couiing from. so distinguished a 8ourot\ that I beg leave, in the name of 

 our society, 'to returu yen our very Avaruj thanks for tho same. 



THE MANILA HEMP PLANTAIN. 



Mr. William Graage, of the Imperial Ottomau consulate, Baltiu^ore, 

 has sent to this Department the following communication, forwarded to 

 him by a resident at the Phiiiiipine Islands, who is thoroughly conver- 

 sant with the subject : 



The hemp plantain, (Mu^a iroyhdijUtniiii texforia,) called by the natives of tho PhiUjt- 

 X)iuo Islands abaca, is a species of tlie genus Mum, groAviug Avild all over the islands. It 

 yields a small, inedible fruit, in appearance like that of the ordinary plantain. Tho trees 

 attain a height of 90 to 30 feet ; gxoAv Avild, but are usually cultivated in groves, in Avhieh 

 they are xdaced o to 4 feet apart. The mode of cultivation is rude, consisting simply in 

 keeping the groves free from weeds aud noxious plants. At the age of three year's tho 

 tree has attained its groAvth, and is fit to be cut down. After its fruit has ripened, the 

 tree Avill not yield any hemp. It is tho stock or trunk Avhich fiu-nishcs tho fiber. After 

 I this has been cut, there springs up from the same root a number of trees, at iuterA-als of 

 a few months, so that a Avell kept grove can be cut about tAvicc a year. The tree is cut 

 a few inches above the ground. Tho inclosed diagram displays'the formation of the 

 trunk, which, it Avill be seen, is composed of o\-er-lapping strips, or layers. These 

 strips are separated from each other after the trunk has been trimmed of its branches. 

 The strips are from o to 4 inches Avide, and from .5 to 10 feet in length, according to the 

 length of the trunk. The strips are next sub-divided into narroAver ones, and draAvu 

 by hand over a knife, tho strix^ being x>ressed upon tho knife by an underlying piece of 

 hard Avood, and the tension managed by a treadle. This ox>eration cleans aAvay from 

 the fibers the Avatery and fleshy parts of tho plant, and it only remains to dry the fiber 

 in open air when it is ready for market. It is necessary to pass the strip over the knife 

 tAvico or thrice before the fibers are left perfectly clean throughout the entire length. 

 One man at the knife aud one to cut down the trees, transport them, aud separate the 

 strips, will clean about 25 pounds per day, though this is rather above the aA'crage. 

 From 150 to 200 trees are needed to x^i'oduce of fiber ono xficul, (137} pounds Sxiauish,) 

 or 140 pounds English ; 3,200 trees for one ton of 2,240 pounds. 



When Ave consider the small amount of hemj) Avhich an Indian produces x>er day, 

 about 12 x^ounds, we are astonished at the euonnous quantities of it exported fi-om 

 tho East, to England in particular, reaching many hundred thousand bales annually, 



