560 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



under the one name Henequen,* as Cannabis sativa is sometimes ex- 

 ported from India with Grofalaria juncea, under the one name of Sunn. 



The filaments of Yucca are -white, brilliant, and stiff, composed of irregular bundles, 

 tlio most of -whicli are large. By rubbing briskly between the fingers the bundles 

 break np into finer fibers, biit always preserving a great deal of stiffness. The walls 

 are usually thick, and the central cavity very apparent ; the ends grow slender regu- 

 larly, and are rounded at the extremity. 



Yucca fiber possesses a moderate tenacity, but is somewhat brittle, 

 and cannot be made to lose its harshness. 



In tlie Australian collections (Exhibition of 1S76) there are examples of 

 Y. aloifoUa, the Aloe-leaved Adam's iTeedle, prepared by Dr. Guilfoyle, 

 who states that "though a native of South America, it succeeds admu'- 

 ably in Victoria, and is of moderately quick growth." He also calls it 

 the Dagger plant. Dr. Guilfoyle sent a specimen of the Y.filamentosa 

 ("The thready Adam's Needle"), which also thrives in Australia, where 

 " its leaves are found rich in fiber and of good quality." 



Little has been done in our own country in the waj'" of manufacture. 

 A machine has been invented, as will be seen by reference to part two 

 of this report. Specimens of fiber recently submitted to the writer only 

 prove what has often been asserted, that Yucca fiber is valuable and can 

 be utilized for a variety of coarse uses. 



Cordyline pumila. — The Dwarf Palm Lily. — Habitat, N'ew Zealand. 

 The fiber from this plant is another of Dr. Guilfoyle's preparations. The 

 native name is Ti-raurild. " The leaves of this interesting species of 

 Cordyline grov/ to a great length and yield an abundance of fiber of long 

 staple, suitable for ropes, mats," &c. It is also convertible into a good 

 quality of paper. The fiber is from 2 J to 3 feet in length, straight, white, 

 and glossy, but very stiff, resembling fiber of Yucca or Agave, and seems 

 to have been extracted in coarse bundles of filaments, which must be 

 hackled to be reduced to anything like fineness. It is fully as strong as 

 Yucca fiber, and would make excellent rope of great tenacity. 



The plantsof this genus are erect-stemmed, shrubby palm-like Liliaceae, 

 bearing spreading and very ornamental heads of elongate striated leaves. 

 The species are found in tropical Africa, in Madagascar, and the Masi- 

 arine Islands, and in the Malay Archipelago. Two species at least are 

 found in Australia and ISTew Zealand, and all, doubtless, would pro- 

 duce excellent fiber. Fiber and tow from Cordyline indivisa, the tall 

 ^* Palm Lily," were also received from the Victoria collection, prepared by 

 Dr. Guilfoyle. They are not as fine as the preceding, however, though 

 jiossessing considerable strength. A very rudely-manufactured rope 

 from the last named species accompanies the collection. This fiber, how- 

 ever, is darker colored, and possesses little of the beauty of the preced- 

 ing example, which has been carefully prepared. Neither Eoyle nor 

 Vetillart make mention of this fiber, though it is named in Bernardin's 

 catalogue. 



Bracccna Draco. — ^Dragon's Blood Tree. — Habitat, Teneriffe. Grows 

 also in Australia. Fiber of this plant was also received with the Vic- 

 torian collection from the Melbourne Botanic Garden, where it is thor- 

 oughly established. Dr. Guilfoyle states that " the fiber is strong and 

 fiexible, but the tree is of very slow growth." It is prepared from the 

 leaves, and is white, fine, and lustrous, and between 18 inches and 2 



* Later I find that A^etillart, in speaking of Yucca, makes this statement : " lb seems 

 certain that in the cargoes of Pita which arrive at the markets of Europe there is 

 found a proportion, more or less considerable, of Yucca fiber. It is difficult to distin- 

 guish the one from the other, and it is adaptable to the same uses.*' In this case itig 

 exported with fiber of Agave americana. 



