548 



FIBRES 



of India and elsewhere. It bears long, thick, succulent leaves, 

 4 to 6 ft. long, usually smooth-edged and with a terminal spine. 

 The plant flowers at about its seventh or eighth year ; in order 

 to preserve the quality of the fibre, the pole or flowering scape 

 should be cut at 4 ft. from the ground, all suckers being also 

 removed. Each pole if allowed to grow will bear from 2,000 

 to 3,000 bulbils. The plant is suited to a dry or wet climate, 

 and is considered to thrive best on a limestone formation. It 

 flourishes, however, on almost any soil that is well drained, as 

 may be seen from its progress in Peradeniya Gardens. Propagation 



f 



SISAL HEMP IX FIJI. 



is by bulbils (produced by the flowering pole) or suckers, and 

 on average soils the plants may be planted out at about 

 8 by 8 ft. apart. The first cutting of leaves takes place in the 

 third or fourth year from planting ; under favourable conditions 

 this will average from 20 to 22 mature leaves per plant a year,, 

 yielding from 3 to 4^ per cent, clean fibre. Subsequent cuttings 

 may be made at intervals of about six months, until an average 

 of about 160 to 180 leaves in all have been obtained from each 

 plant ; this will occupy a period of about eight years from the 

 time of planting, and is estimated to afford a total crop of about 

 10i Ib. of prepared ribre per plant, or about 7,000 Ib. per acre. 



