AGAVE 



INDIAN PLANTATIONS Cultivation 



Sylhet 



to June, and it is essential that the plants be pitted (not dibbled in) and 

 that they should not be buried in the ground above the base of the leaves. 

 They lay great stress on the latter condition ; earth within the leaves, they 

 say, causes them to rot. During the first two years the plantation re- 

 iiu iirs to be hoed to such extent as found necessary to keep weeds in check. Hoeing. 



Diseases and Pests. Protection from cows, deer, etc., is necessary, DIMM**. 

 since if the central bud be injured the plant dies. By the third and fourth 

 years the plants are able to defend themselves. I am informed by Mr. 

 G. Massee that at least one fungus is known to kill the leaves, namely, 

 f'nnintliiiriinn i-<m<'cnfricn HI, Socc., and that this may often appear as 

 discoloured patches without fructification. It would seem probable that 

 "the discoloured spots on some of the older leaves of even very young 

 plants " alluded to by Mann and Hunter are due to the fungus named. 

 [Butler, Sisal Hemp Disease, in Agri. Journ. Ind., 1906, i., pt. ii., 261.] 



Cropping Season. Much depends on the size, age and vigour of the S^ 1 " 8 

 young plants when transplanted, but they attain as a rule the condition 

 of being able to afford a first crop of leaves in the third year, and come into 

 full bearing in the fourth or, it may be, only in the fifth year. Leaves as a 

 rule are ripe when they extend at right angles to the stem. Mann and indication of 

 Hunter say that half a right angle to the stem will suffice but none before 

 that should be cut. The plants continue to give an annual supply of Yielding Period, 

 leaves till about the twelfth year, when they show signs of forming the 

 inflorescence or " pole." Having given their crop of seed or " pole bulbils " 

 the parent plants die and should then be uprooted. If the outer large 

 leaves be not systematically removed year by year the plants will 

 attain maturity at a much earlier date, say about the sixth year. Ex- 

 perience so far would seem to support belief that the plant will pole 

 slightly earlier in Sylhet than in Yucatan. Mr. Woodrow reports 

 that the sisal planted in Poona, in 1892 began in 1898 to show 

 signs of producing flowering-stems. On the other hand, it is recorded 

 that under certain circumstances the plants may continue to yield 

 for 15, 20 or even 25 years before the "pole" forms. In the Kew 

 Bulletin (1898, add. ser., ii., 178) will be found a most interesting 

 correspondence on the methods that might be adopted to retard polling. 

 Sir D. Morris recommends the systematic removal of all suckers not Removal of 

 required. It transpired (in the correspondence referred to) that the 

 Bahamas hemp plant flowers earlier than the Yucatan hemp, a distinctly 

 unfavourable circumstance if it be the case. As soon as the " pole " appears 

 it has to be cut out, the remaining leaves harvested and the old plant re- 

 moved. But it is customary long before this takes place to plant a 

 seedling or sucker close by or within the interspace, so as to have 

 a fresh plant nearing the bearing stage before the period of removal w P 

 of the exhausted one has been reached. In Sylhet it has been 

 found that the best time for cutting leaves is from October to June. 

 This is mainly on account of the necessity for drying the fibre. 

 The leaves are moreover less heavy at that season, an obvious 

 advantage seeing that they have to be carried to the factory. This 

 arrrangement fits in admirably with the associated tea industry, which 

 calls for most labour from June to October. In laying out an estate Mann 

 and Hunter say that owing to the enormous weight of the leaves the factory 

 should be central and have good roads in every direction. On a small 

 estate pack bullocks, and on a large one alight railway may be used. 



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