LESSER-KNOWN CORDAGE FIBRES 69 



doubt it would be worth more were the plant pulled at an 

 earlier period of its growth, and retted in a more intelligent 

 fashion. 



Bowstring Hemp (Sansevievia zelanyca), Sanseviera, murta, or 

 moorva is a fibrous plant which grows in India and in Queens- 

 land, Java, and South China. The leaves, which are from 

 4 to 8 ft. long, and from 2 to 3 in. wide, spring up directly 

 from the root, the plant having no stem. The fibre which 

 they contain extends of uniform quality from tip to root. The 

 fibre is soft, silky, pliant, and very strong, and is readily ex- 

 tracted by existing decorticating machines. Fifty pounds of fibre 

 may be extracted from i ton of fresh leaves, which yield 2^ 

 per cent, of fibre. One acre yields 13^ tons of fresh leaves, 

 or 6 cwt. of clean fibre. The plant is readily propagated from 

 the roots. 



Mauritius Hemp (Furcroya giganted) is closely allied to the 

 aloe plant. Its leaves are from 5 to 8 ft. in length, and weigh 

 about 5 Ib. The same mode of cultivation and extraction is 

 practised as in the case of the agaves. * 



Pita Hemp or Henequen is produced from a certain species 

 of agave which is grown in South America. It produces 

 leaves of an average length of 3-J ft., from which a coarse 

 fibre, resembling sisal, is extracted. 



Maguey is a fibre which finds its way to the London market 

 in small quantities. It is extracted from the leaves of a species 

 of the American aloe (A. Americana). 



Istle, or Istle-grass, which is a commercial corruption of the 

 Mexican name ixtli, is a valuable fibre obtained in Mexico 

 and Central America from the henequen species of maguey, 

 Bromelia sylvestris, and several species of agave, such as A . ixtli. 

 It is at present exported to London and New York, and is 

 used in the manufacture of cordage, nets, carpets, &c. 



Aramina (little wire) is a fibre extracted from a plant which 

 grows in Brazil. It is not unlike jute, and is locally manufac- 

 tured into coffee bags, carpets, curtains, &c. 



