174 SOILS AND AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS 



continues until the soil becomes unproductive. It is then thrown out of cultiva- 

 tion and allowed to grow up in bush, and after an interval of from 15 to 20 

 years, as has already been pointed out, it may be cleared again, having in the 

 meantime regained much of its former productiveness. The pineapples, when 

 gathered, are carried in baskets on the heads of laborers to the beach, and then 

 by small boats to the schooner which is to carry the product either to Nassau or 

 to a foreign port. 



The sisal plantations are the most extensive on the Islands. Where sisal 

 is grown it occupies the entire field. The method of cultivation is to plant 

 the young suckers in rows 5 feet apart each way. But even greater distances 

 are to be preferred, both because they allow more space for the plants to de- 

 velop, and also because if it be necessary to reset the field young plants can 

 be started between the old ones, and by the time the latter are ready to be 

 removed the younger ones have leaves large enough to cut. In this way no 

 time is lost and the profits are increased. (Plate LXXXVI, Fig. 2.) 



The time required from planting to the first cutting is 4 years, and 

 then 20 to 25 leaves can be cut from each plant. Thereafter from 8 to 10 

 leaves can be removed every 6 months, the plants lasting from 8 to 10 years. 

 It takes about 100 pounds of the green leaves to make 5 pounds of fiber. The 

 yield varies somewhat, but probably averages about one ton per acre for first 

 year of harvesting and one-half ton a year afterward. 



On the large plantations the fiber is cleaned by machinery by passing the 

 leaves through cleaners where the pulp is extracted and the fiber left behind. 

 This is then placed on frames in the sun and when thoroughly dry, packed in 

 huge bales for shipment. (Plate LXXXVII.) Some fiber is produced by 

 hand labor on Cat and some of the other islands. The native method is to 

 tie the leaves in bundles and to macerate them in the brackish water of the 

 ponds, and then, when in proper condition, to beat the leaves upon the coral 

 rocks and to wash them clean in the sea. Afterwards the fiber is hung up to 

 dry and bleach in the sun, and is then put up in small bales for marketing. 



The cultivation of sisal requires no particular skill. All that is neces- 

 sary is to keep down the weeds and other growths, and stir the soil occasion- 

 ally. No fertilizers are used in the cultivation of this crop. 



IMPORTANT CROP AND SOIL PROBLEMS. 



The leading industries of the Bahama Islands are the fisheries and agri- 

 culture. Those who are interested in the latter are either engaged in grow- 



