31 



It has been determined by experiment that the same plant will produce 

 either a very superior or a very inferior grade of fiber, depending on 

 the kind of stripping knife used. As a result of using serrated knives, 

 the markets have been flooded with enormous quantities of inferior 

 fiber, and cordage manufacturers frequently make complaint about the 

 quality of manila hemp. The whole future of the industry depending, 

 as it must, on the position which abaca continues to hold in the world's 

 markets, it is manifestly to the interest of every producer to discourage 

 the use of the serrated knife. 



The present method of scattering strippers all over the field has a 

 great many disadvantages. First, the overseer can not watch the laborers 

 as closely and as often as necessary; second, the laborers are apt to cut 

 the large stalks only, or the stalks of certain good varieties, leaving out 

 the small stalks and omitting the hills of inferior varieties; third, the 

 strippers have no interest in turning out a good quality of fiber, and 

 often, if not watched, reduce the tension of the knife by loosening the 

 rattan or rope, or by reducing the weight (where a weight is used to 

 regiilate the tension of the knife) thus making it much easier to pull 

 the strips; and fourth, they work at their leisure, starting and finishing 

 work at their convenience. 



These disadvantages can be remedied by having a long shed built at a 

 spot as near the center of the plantation as possible, under which all 

 strippers should be made to set up their knives. A gang of men specially 

 trained in separating the strips and felling the stalks should be employed 

 under a competent overseer; while a few boys with carts and carabaos or 

 cattle can haul the strips from the field to the shed and turn them over 

 to the man in charge there, who, in turn, distributes them to the men 

 under him. 



It has been amply demonstrated that by this method six advantages 

 will be gained : First, the field is harvested in one uniform way through- 

 out; second, the hills are better handled and every mature stalk in them, 

 whether large or small, is harvested; third, the total output of fiber per 

 hectare is increased; fourth, more work is gotten out of the laborers; 

 fifth, a better quality of fiber is turned out, as the strippers can no longer 

 meddle with the knives, and also the fiber is better handled and dried; 

 and sixth, sickness among laborers is reduced as they are not exposed to 

 changes of climate, such as heat, wind, and dampness, as they are when 

 working in the field. 



FIBER-EXTRACTING MACHINERY. 



Numerous attempts have been made to perfect a machine for extracting 

 abaca fiber. A number of these machines have been in a measure suc- 

 cessful, but some defect has always prevented their coming into general 

 use. 



During the past five years this subject has received a great deal of 



