AGAVE 



Cultivation 

 Mysore 



Experience 

 Gained. 



Profit. 



Frost an 



Important 



Factor. 



Bombay. 



THE SISAL HEMP PLANT 



In South India and Mysore. It seems that an effort is being 

 made to organise an Agave or Sisal fibre industry of South India. 

 We read of the South Indian Fibre Company having taken this matter 

 up energetically. Particulars of actual plantations, however, are not 

 available, though Mr. Tytler seems to have made a start in Anantapur 

 district. [Cf. Madras Mail, Dec. 1901; Ind. Planters' Gaz., Feb. 1902.] 

 Travancore is also mentioned as a locality where the plant is being culti- 

 vated. Reference has been made to the large importation of sisal plants 

 by the Mysore Government. Mr. J. Cameron and others (recent Proc. 

 Agri.-Hort. Soc. Mad.) describe the progress accomplished. Mr. Cameron 

 seems moreover confident that in Mysore there are many tracts of com- 

 paratively useless jungle that possess the requisite soil for Sisal cultivation. 

 He also tells us of having sold sufficient young plants to cover the cost 

 of importation of the original stock. The experience gained he sum- 

 marises thus : 



1. Land of a gravelly soil and stony nature is most suitable. 



2. When it is planted, cultivation practically ceases for a period of 

 four years or until the matured leaves are ready for cutting. 



3. On suitable land, failure of crop has never been heard of. 



4. The profit of a cropped acre is estimated at 4 to 5 per annum 

 that is, 60 to 70 rupees. 



On this subject Mann and Hunter observe that the Sisal does not 

 require a rich soil. It must have a soil well drained, moderately light 

 and not too rich since that leads to luxuriance but loss of fibre, nor too 

 poor since the fibre will then become short. The presence of lime in the 

 soil is advantageous. In a word, much of that culturable land in tea 

 districts which is not suited for tea will do well enough for Sisal. But 

 it would appear these authors may have been led into the expression of a 

 too emphatic opinion as to Sisal being not only the best but the only 

 species suited to the tea districts (Mann and Hunter, I.e. 4, 9). It seems 

 highly probable that the liability to frost, to which not a few tea districts 

 are subject, might preclude the cultivation of Sisal and point to A. Caii- 

 tala, for example, as preferable. Of course where it is found possible to 

 grow A. sisalana that would be the best species, but there seems no 

 doubt that for the whole of the tea districts, and still more so for the 

 whole of India, one and the same species is not universally suited. [Cf. 

 Ann. Rept., Bot. Gard. Sibpur, 1903-4.] 



In Tirhut and Bombay. Although a good deal has been written 

 in a general way regarding the Tirhut and Bihar ventures, little 

 definite knowledge is available such as to justify the formation of 

 opinions regarding either the methods pursued or the success obtained. 

 It is known that large shipments of plants have been secured, and it is 

 understood that they have taken kindly to the climate and soil of 

 Bihar. Frequent mention has also been made of Mr. Woodrow's 

 experiments and results and of his endeavours to establish planta- 

 tions at Nasik and Nandgaon. In the prospectus of the Bombay Sisal 

 Hemp Co., Ltd. (issued in April 1899), Mr. Woodrow says, "I intro- 

 duced a few sisal hemp plants seven years ago; they have grown 

 remarkably well and have given 10,000 young plants." Further on he 

 adds, " One million aloe fibre plants are at hand, enough for 500 acres, 

 and about 10 millions are procurable this year." In the same way it 

 is known that Dr. E. Suter is growing Sisal at Powai, near Bombay. 



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