FIBRES 511 



prepared by the native " Jembie " (hoe), the presence of 

 the tsetse-fly preventing the use of draught animals. 



The bulbils were procured from India and locally, and 

 were planted out by Swahili and Kikuyu natives. 



The average rainfall here is 50 to 60 in. and it is fairly 

 regular, depending' on the monsoon winds. 



The sisal is planted out on prepared land immediately 

 after the rains. Originally bulbils were chosen, but now 

 suckers are preferred, and are planted out directly with- 

 out passing through a nursery. Further, sisal suckers 

 are preferred at the coast because they are true to the 

 parent type, and if selected from the best plants repro- 

 duce a pure type; whereas bulbils, through crossing, 

 contain more than one strain and are liable to greater 

 variation. The spacing is closer than in Punda Milea, 

 up to 1,400 plants per acre. It is found that plants grow 

 best in exposed positions, better on hilltops than in 

 valleys, and that they thrive best where they have most 

 room, consequently wider planting is now being ad- 

 vocated, some coast planters adopting 8 by 8 ft., or about 

 650 plants per acre. At the coast sisal may be inter- 

 planted one year before it poles, so that the crop matures 

 a year earlier. Care is taken to keep the land as clean as 

 possible during the first year until the plant can fend 

 for itself. After this little harm can happen to sisal. 

 Owing to the nature of the ground the cost of clearing is 

 considerable, amounting to 3 to 5 per acre. Once 

 cleared, it can be kept clean with an outlay of about 203. 

 per annum. 



After three years' rapid growth the leaves are 3 to 

 4^ ft. long and are fit for use. One man, working by 

 contract, can cut and remove the terminal spine from 

 1,200 to 1,500 leaves per day. A really good cutter can 

 prepare 3,000. The leaves thereafter are carefully 

 selected as to length before tying into bundles of 40 to 

 50 Ib. each. 



Paths intersect the estate, dividing it into lo-acre lots, 

 with roads at intervals wide enough for a trolley line to 

 convey the leaf to the factory. The leaf contains so small 

 a percentage of fibre that 60 to 70 tons must be handled 

 to produce 2 to 2j tons of dry fibre each day. To effect 

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