AGAVE 



IMI\N KIKRK Cultivation 



knowledge regarding the Saharanpur sample and the cultivation of the 

 plant, than will be found in the other Indian reports which have as yet 

 appeared. [Cf. Agri. Ledg., 1894, No. 18.] Some doubt, however, may be PoMtbie Error*. 

 admitted to overshadow most of the published statements regarding 

 the so-called Af/tirr <ntn-t-i<-<in<i of India from the exact species experi- 

 mented with not having been accurately determined. But Mr. Gollan, 

 who actually supplied the Saharanpur sample (along with his letter of Feb- 

 ruary 3, 1891), wrote in reply to a special reference on this point, that 

 at the time in question he furnished two consignments, one of the so-called 

 .1. ninri-irtiiut (much of which very possibly should now be called source of 

 A. :'lon!/is('i>nfa), the other of ./. ririjmi'a (or rather A. ll'it/litii) P f b 1 anpur 

 filne, but none of A. si.wftnm, for the very good reason that 

 no plants of the last-named species had reached Saharanpur until 

 fully a year later, and no fibre from the Sisal plants had been cut until 

 four years later. [Cf. Agri. Ledg., 1900, No. 6, 63.] The point is of 

 importance chiefly in support of the contention that certain forms of 

 Indian-grown Aloe fibre are little if at all inferior to the true Sisal of Com- 

 merce. The fibre that Mr. Collyer viewed with so much favour was thus 

 procured from two of the long- acclimatised plants prevalent in North 

 India. Subsequently Mr. Gollan furnished samples of Sisal fibre grown 

 at Saharanpur, and these were also sent to the Imperial Institute for 

 opinion and valuation. [Cf. Agri. Ledg., 1896, No. 34 ; Imp. Inst. 

 Tech. Repts., 1903, 81-5.] 



A sample of Agave fibre from Gwalior (possibly the plant indicated 

 above as -I. '.' rf oaf/at a) has been highly commended (Imp. Inst., I.e. 

 84), and a sample from South Sylhet, said to have been that of 

 A. sisuhtiHt, is in the same publication reported on most favourably. 

 Coventry gives a brief account of the Agaves in the Panjdb. [Cf. Agri. 

 Journ. Ind., 1906, i., pt. 3, 265.] 



CULTIVATION. Indian-grown fibre has, however, been more fre- Indian- 

 quently condemned than approved, but as already indicated this may IT own 

 have proceeded from the fibre of a worthless form having been supplied. 

 It is true also that the condemnation may have arisen through the 

 ignorance of the planters as to the best seasons and methods of prepara- 

 tion. It follows accordingly that the abundance of a species of Agave in 

 a particular locality is no proof of commercial possibilities. The experts 

 have, however, usually reported that the inferiority of many of the Causes of 

 samples examined may have been due to either of two causes : (1) The r 

 leaves having been too old, thus causing the fibre to become hard, coarse 

 and brittle ; (2) The very defective method of cleaning that seems in- 

 variably practised by the Natives of India. The leaves while resting 

 on a flat stone are crudely scraped by a knife and violently beaten every 

 now and again in order to shake off adhering particles of cellular tissue. 

 As a not unnatural result the fibres are broken, torn and cut short. But 

 what is even still worse, before being scraped the leaves have often been 

 retted for weeks, or the fibre after being separated has been soaked in Retuns > 

 water for days. As a result fermentation has been set up and the fibre 

 discoloured, deprived of its natural polish and rendered harsh. The 

 leaves as they near maturity, but not later, should be simply scraped 

 by hand or by machine, then sun-dried and baled. Retting is not 

 necessary and is distinctly injurious, but washing in a stream of water washing 

 during the process of scraping is often recommended as advantageous. 



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