48 Fibres of t/w Hci'ccaiian Islcxuds. 



resen'oir formed by scooping, into which the sap exudes. He 

 relates that one plant will afford beverage for two months, and will 

 furnish in all between two and three hundred gallons of pulque. 



The fibres obtained from these agaves are of good quality. 

 Their cultivation and preparation closely resemble those of pita 

 and sisal, to which fibres they are similar but rather inferior. 

 They have been cultivated with fair results in various countries, 

 but in view of the better grades of similar fibres, above mentioned, 

 it is improbable that they will ever be widely grown. 



MANII.A HBMP. 



Endogen. Structural Fibre. Scitamiiiccc . Musa tcxtilis. 



Of all substitutes for true hemp the fibre extracfted from the 

 wild banana or plantain is probabl}^ the most important. In the 

 Philippines, where the plant is indigenous, a large industry is 

 carried on in the manufacfture of "abaca" cloth from the finer 

 qualities of banana fibre, the coarser material only being reserved 

 for export. A rich volcanic soil is best suited to the culture of the 

 abaca, the most satisfadlory results being produced on high land 

 subje(5led to a regular rainfall, as drought is most detrimental to 

 the crop. In the Philippines the mauufadlure of the fibre is almost 

 entirel}^ by hand, one man preparing about twelve pounds a daj^ 

 for which he receives one-half. From one to two tons of fibre are 

 obtained from an acre of land, according to the method of prepara- 

 tion, which is, on the whole, wasteful, as only about one pound is 

 obtained from each plant. The fruit, being inedible, is not allowed 

 to ripen, the flower being removed as soon as protruded. When the 

 plant is once cut it is important to remove the fibre without delay. 

 The discolored outer petioles are first removed and discarded, and 

 the successive ones are placed upon a flat board and the inner side 

 scraped with a blunt instrument. When all the pulp has been 

 removed the strip is turned and the scraping continued on the other 

 side. Repeated wa.'^hings and scrapings free the fibre from extrane- 

 ous matter, and it is then hung in the wind to dry. Crude appa- 

 ratus, consisting of a fixed horizontal knife upon which the fibre is 

 pressed by a parallel bar, is also in use in .some parts. Manila 

 hemp is of great strength and durability and has earned for itself 

 the first position as a cordage fibre. A substitute for horse hair is 



