2R 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



A Kocky Field Planted to Ilenequen. 'l"he poor soil is very much in evidence, yet it is ui 

 just r.ucli conditions thai this plant, ricli in commercial possibilities, thrives best. 



Ilenequen a Profitable Plant 



The hcnequcii plant thrives on the 

 poorest quahty of ground, and for its prep- 

 aration no other work is necessary than 

 the removal of the decayed stalks of the 

 plants that previously occupied the field 

 before, also thorough weeding. 



The illustration printed above shows this 

 valuable plant growing apparently on the 

 rock itself, and it thrives where there is 

 but scanty soil. The young plants are 

 set among the rocks just before the rainy 

 season in rows about four feet apart each 

 way. The sole care required is in keeping 

 the ground clean, and after several years 

 the first ciUtings may be made. After the 

 annual and semi-annual cuttings are made, 

 the under leaves being the ones taken. 

 The life of the plant is on an average 

 about fifteen years, at the end of which 

 time it sends up a lofty shoot, flowers 

 at the top and dies. 



Sisal planters make a point of having 

 their fields in all stages of growth, so that 

 a regular cycle of planting, maturing and 

 cutting is constantly taking place. 



A well-equipped plantation should be sup- 

 plied with the most modern machinery, such 

 as steam power, narrow gauge railroads, 

 fiber separating and cleaning machinery, 

 electric light etc. So following the process 

 along modern lines, these blades are put 

 through steam driven crushers, where they 

 are mashed into a pulp and the vegetable 

 or soft matter removed. The wet mass 

 of stingy fiber is then combed and spread 



out on dryers in the open air. The fiber 

 thus obtained is about three feet in length 

 and it is in this raw state that it is shipped. 

 Nothing more is done than to compress 

 it in huge machines into l)ales of uniform 

 size. The fiber is shipped to the large 

 factories in the northern and southern parts 

 of the United States and to Europe, to be 

 manufactured into binder twine and 

 employed by the farmers for binding their 

 siieaves of grain, or made into rope as 

 the occasion demands. 



The development of this new industry 

 in Cuba is taking on a promising aspect 

 and before long, sisal fiber will be one of 

 the chief articles of export, after the home 

 consumption has been thoroughly supplied. 

 That it is proving a profitable business is 

 beyond question. — La Luclia, Havana. 



Money in Bees 



Much information along bee-keeping lines 

 can be found in a new publication of 

 the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Far- 

 mers' Bulktin .397, entitled. "Bees." The 

 work gives briefly information needed by 

 persons engaged in the keeping of bees, 

 and answers inquiries received from cor- 

 respondents. It discusses the location, 

 equipment, and stocking of the apiary, the 

 habits of bees and their manipulation, the 

 production of honey and wax, and diseases 

 and injuries. It also tells how to obtain 

 and introduce queens, and names journals 

 and books on the subject. This publica- 



