SISAL HEMP 27 



which, therefore, always retains from twenty-five to twenty- 

 seven leaves. If properly cared for a plant continues to yield 

 leaves for about fourteen years in rocky soil, and eight years 

 in fertile soil, but if the leaves which become horizontal are 

 not properly cut, then the plant throws up a stalk, instead of 

 leaves, and this is the death of the plant. When the plant 

 reaches the limit of its age this stalk grows from the centre, 

 and the plant dies. If the cutting of the mature leaves be 

 neglected the plant throws the stalk up, and when this stalk 

 appears there is great danger that all the plants in its vicinity 

 will also send the stalk up and die. Some planters say that a 

 plant, if properly cared for, will yield from 1,000 to 1,500 

 leaves before dying. Our frontispiece shows the general 

 appearance of the plant when growing. 



A peculiarity of the culture of the sisal hemp plant in 

 Yucatan is that the blossoming (which destroys the life of the 

 plant) is sometimes retarded twenty years or more after the 

 first harvest of leaves. In other countries where the plant is 

 grown it blossoms and dies about seven years after planting. 

 The reason is that the climate of Yucatan is so hot and dry, 

 and the soil so arid, being often a mere bed of semi-decom- 

 posed coral rock. In Yucatan as many as twenty crops of 

 leaves are taken off when the plant is from five to twenty-five 

 years of age. 



The separation of the fibre from the pulpy matter which 

 surrounds it is accomplished by scraping, either by hand or 

 machine. In India steeping in water is also resorted to, there 

 being a divergence of opinion as to whether plain water or a 

 mild solution of brine, such as is obtained from springs in the 

 neighbourhood, gives the best results. 



Of machinery for cleaning the fibre, the best results have 

 been obtained with the Prieto machine, constructed in several 

 sizes, which will clean from 30,000 to 150,000 leaves per day, 

 and which require from 15 to 45 h.p. to drive them. The 

 leaves are run into the machine and held between chains while 



