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CHAPTER IV. 



SISAL HEMP. 



SISAL hemp or agave fibre is indigenous to Yucatan, and is 

 also cultivated in the Bahamas, Florida and North-East India. 

 In Mexico the plant is known as " henequen." Yucatan fibre 

 is derived from the spined form of the plant Agave rigida elon- 

 gata, while the species grown in the Bahamas is the smooth- 

 leaved variety of Agave rigida Sisalana. Sisal hemp will grow 

 on arid land that seems incapable of any other vegetable life, 

 but the best fibre is grown on gravelly soil of medium quality. 

 It is independent of irrigation, and is actually injured by too 

 much moisture. As far as North-East India is concerned, 

 sisal will accommodate itself to any elevation from sea-level 

 up to 2,000 ft. Fibre grown at high altitudes yields less, but 

 is finer. 



The leaves of the plant which contain the fibre average 

 5 to 6 ft. in length, and are cut down every year after the 

 plant is about four years old. In harvesting the leaves for 

 fibre only the lower leaves are taken, there being a perfect 

 system in the manner and time of cutting, only twelve to 

 fifteen leaves being taken from one plant annually, and these 

 are not all cut at one time. The leaf is taken off close to the 

 stem of the plant by means of a sort of hatchet ; the stalk 

 becomes longer each year, until in time the lower leaves are 

 produced at a height of a man's head from the ground. The 

 young leaves unfold themselves from the cogolla or central 



