FIBRES 549 



than smaller plants. There is a slight preference for 

 suckers over bulbil plants, as it is thought that they 

 transplant more satisfactorily. Aloes planted with 

 eighteen-month suckers are first reaped between the 

 third and fourth years after planting. The following 

 details taken from the Annual Report of the Chamber 

 of Agriculture for 1912 are of interest. 



The then President (Mr. E. Carcenac) writes: "In 

 large areas of the Black River district, for example, 

 where the culture of sugar-cane, impossible without 

 irrigation, is limited, the exploitation of aloes offers 

 great possibilities." 



After discussing probable costs of plantations, he 

 states : 



" (i) Plants possessing leaves at least 18 in. long 

 should be put in at the end of the dry season. 



" (2) The plants should be put out quincunx at 4^ ft. 

 apart. An arpent would, therefore, hold about 2,500 

 plants. 



" (3) The year after planting a light cleaning should 

 be made in order to destroy plants and weeds providing 

 too heavy a shade. 



" (4) The leaves may be cut between the fourth and 

 fifth years after planting, and a subsequent cutting after 

 two wet seasons. 



" Each plant will give at each cutting a minimum of 

 30 leaves, or 75,000 leaves per arpent. This should 

 represent at least I ton of dry fibre, and as cuttings would 

 be made every two years, an average of J ton of dry 

 fibre per arpent could be reckoned on for each period of 

 twelve months." 



Cutting. 



The cutting of leaves is usually carried out by task 

 work. The cutters are paid on the average at the rate 

 of lod. per 100 packets. The weight of the individual 

 packets is not taken, but it is generally estimated that 

 one packet of leaves contains from 10 to 15 leaves and 

 produces i kilogram of green fibre. Actual weighings 

 have been made at several factories with the following 

 results : 



