92 ASPARAGUS 
arms may be adjusted to any size bunch desired by 
simply loosening the bolts at either end, and pulling 
out the arms so as to fit the shape of the bunch, and 
thus both ends can be bunched properly. The style 
of buncher and knives in favor with growers in the 
famous asparagus region near Concord, Mass., are seen 
in Fig. 30, and the process of bunching in Fig. 31. 
FIG. 29—WATT’S ASPARAGUS BUNCHER 
Tying materials.—Twine, Cuban bast, sisal, and 
various other materials are used for tying, but nothing 
is better for this purpose than rafha fiber. This is 
obtained from the raffia or rofia palm, a native of the 
island of Madagascar. The tree sends enormous 
branches from near the ground, the pinnate leaves of 
which produce this fiber. One palm frond will produce 
eighty to one hundred long, green leaflets from two to 
five feet in length, and from this the fiber is prepared. 
‘‘Silk lamba’’ is also a product of this palm. Raffa 
fiber is now extensively used for tying up plants, for 
grafting, and many other purposes, as it is very strong, 
as soft as silk, and is not affected by moisture or 
