562 FIBRES 



has been particularly established for binder twines. In 

 addition, our Colonial hemp is also suitable for the manu- 

 facture of different kinds of ropes. The German Imperial 

 Navy also employs a considerable amount of cordage 

 made from this East African material. For this reason 

 Germany is greatly interested in growing such fibre 

 material for its own needs. The interest, however, does 

 not go any further, since sisal is so small an article that 

 if the production increases prices would rapidly fall. It 

 is doubtful whether under such conditions it would pay 

 to grow sisal. 



Distribution and Description of the Plant. 



The sisal grown in German East Africa (Agave 

 sisalana, Perrine), sometimes called " green sisal," is 

 identical with " Henequen verde " (Spanish name) and 

 " Yaxci Maya " (Indian name), s-yn. Agave rigida 

 sisalana. The plant is a native of Central America, 

 and probably also of Yucatan. The fibre is used in small 

 quantities by the natives of Central America, but does 

 .lot enter into consideration for purposes of exportation. 

 The plant has been introduced into Florida, where it has 

 spread to some extent without being cultivated. As a 

 trade article it is grown in the Bahamas, the Turks 

 and Caicos Islands, in the Sandwich Islands, and here 

 and there in British India and Indo-China. As regards 

 its geographical occurrence, it is more widely distributed 

 than any other fibre-producing agave. 



The propagation of the sisal plant takes place either 

 by means of suckers growing underground, or by so- 

 called " bulbils," i.e., adventitious shoots arising from 

 the top of the flowering stem, where they develop into 

 young plants. After having attained a size of 12 to 

 15 cm. the bulbils fall off, and may then be at once 

 employed for seeding purposes in suitable beds. 



On the whole, however, we nowadays prefer to employ 

 the underground suckers for the purposes of propagation. 

 After two or three years these suckers throw up young- 

 leaves, which obtain their nourishment partly from the 

 mother plant, and partly through a separate system of 

 roots which surround the plant in a radius not exceeding 



