100 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



CHAPTER VL 

 FIBRES APPLICABLE TO CORDAGE. 



AGAVE AMERICANA OTHER SPECIES OF AGAVE BRO- 



MELIA BOWSTRING CREEPER CALOOEE MAHO- 



TREE EJOO COIR BARKS OF VARIOUS TREES- 

 ESPARTO OTHER FIBRES. 



THE leaves of the American aloe, or Agave Ameri- 

 cana, are advantageously applied to the production 

 of cordage. Their fibres are coarse and harsh, but 

 they are found to be stronger than hemp, although 

 not so elastic, and when made into ropes these are 

 more liable to be affected by the weather. They are, 

 however, extremely tenacious and durable, and con- 

 sequently of great utility in those countries where the 

 plant is found in abundance. The aloe, which 

 flourishes in the south of Spain, differs very little 

 from the American, and that which ornaments our 

 green-houses is the same plant in miniature *. 



The growth of this plant is slow, but when arrived 

 at maturity its leaves are of a gigantic size, usually 

 from five to eight feet in length, some considerably 

 exceed even this dimension. The aloe attains a size 

 quite equal to this in Sicily and Calabria, where, 

 though not commonly, cordage and mats are made 

 of its fibres. The great use to which the aloe is 

 applied in those countries is to form hedges or fences. 

 As each strong leaf of the gigantic plant terminates 



* In 1770, whenThunberg was at Amsterdam, there was in the 

 Botanic Garden of that city " a great American aloe (Agave 

 Americana) which was in full blossom, and shown every day for 

 money." Travels, vol. i. 



