t 327 ] 



that develope into young plants. Thus it goes on propagating 

 itself. 



483. The Yucatan aloe or Sisal hemp is almost as'good as 

 the Mauritius hemp. The machine used in Yucatan (Mexico) 

 for the extraction of the fibre is Solis's Raspador, which, 

 owing to its simplicity, strength and cheapness, seems to be 

 admirably adapted for extraction of agave fibres in this country 

 where the management of complicated machinery in country 

 places give great trouble. g,ooo leaves are cleaned by this 

 machine in a day of ten hours. Two men are needed to work 

 it, and an engine of 6 H. P. The cost of this machine in the 

 United States is 120 dollars, exclusive of the steam engine. 

 Two such machines can be worked with a 12 H. P. engine in 

 a plantation of 100 acres. The Raspador is a large toothed 

 wheel which scrapes the pulp off the leaves in the same way 

 as the gratte scrapes the pulp out of Mauritius hemp. It is 

 most economical to grow the Sisal hemp like other agaves on 

 dry rocky soils. The growth on rich alluvial soils is more 

 vigorous, but the fibre is poorer. If suckers 18" high are 

 planted, in 5 years the leaves will be ready for cutting and 

 the plantation will go on yielding for 20 years. It is best to 

 set fire to jungle land, give it a rough cultivation, sow maize 

 and the suckers of the agave at the same time, say in May, in 

 alternate lines. The crop of maize will pay for the planting 

 of Sisal hemp. Then, however, there is the waiting for 4 

 years, when two weedings should be given to keep the plants 

 in condition. A leaf should be cut off when it assumes the 

 horizontal position. A full grown plant yields annually about 

 20 leaves. 1,000 leaves produce about 50 Ibs. of clean fibre 

 and one ton of green leaves give about 80 Ibs. of fibre. 

 When a plant sends up a flower stalk it should be removed 

 to allow young suckers growing underneath to come up more 

 vigorously. 700 to 800 plants should go to the acre $ and 

 half a ton of fibre per acre may be taken as the annual 

 produce, a quantity obtained from 14 tons of green leaves. 



