674 



Piulippine Journ. Science x. Section C. Botany, Nov.. 1915, 



pp. 379-421 ; vii-xviii. '' Banana Fibre for Paper-making : the 



Yield of Paper on Green Stem of Banana/' Clayton Beadle & 

 Stevens, in the Chemical News & Journ. Physical Science, cxii- 



Nov. 12th, 1915, p. 235. ''Banana and Plantain Fibres/' in. 



Cotton and Other Vegetable Fibres, Goulding, pp. 164-166 (John 

 Murray, London, 1917). 



Musa 



p. 123. 



Cienc. Nai Madrid, iv. (1801) 



A perennial plant; stem 20 ft. or more high, in general 

 appearance same as the above species. Fruit trigonous and 

 resembling more that of the '' plantain/' 2-3 in. long, about 

 1 in. diam.; containing black angular seeds about J in. diam.; 



not edible. 



J?f.— Kew Bull. 1894, p. 290; Add. Ser. ii. Veg. Fibres; 

 p. 102; vi. Musa, p. 62; Oliver, IJ.S. Dept. A^gric, Bur. PL Ind. 

 Bull. No. 46, 1903, t. 8 (Seedlings, 6 weeks old) ; Philippine 

 Journ. Sci. (Bot.) x. Nov. 1915, t, 18, ft, 6-10; India Eubber 

 World, Feb. 1st, 1918, p.' 262 (Plantation in the Philippines). 



Vernac. names, — Abaca (Phihppines, Saleebij^ Edwards) ; 



Manila Hemp. 



Native of the Philii)pine Island>s ; cultivated experimentally m 



Jamaica, Trinidad, India, Andaman Islands, Borneo, etc., British 

 East Africa and West Africa. In 1895 suckers Mxre obtained 



bv Kcw through H.M 



(Kew Bull. 1895, p. 208). 



West Africa 



This is one of the most important sources of the white fibres . 

 used for ropes and cordage^ chiefly ; but twine, fine fabrics and 

 paper are also made from it, worn out ropes being suitable for 

 the latter purpose. The best qualities of stout packing paj)ers 

 and other similar papers in the United States are made from 

 old Manila ropes. The average of 132*4 tons of green weight 

 per ton of paper given under Banana includes Manila Hemp 

 stems (Clayton Beadle & Stevens, I.e.). Materials for laches' 

 hats and bonnets in Switzerland are made of Manila Hemp 

 (Kew Bull. Add. Ser. vi. 3Iusa, p. 63) Some 500,000 bales (about 



275 lb. 



Manila : the 



£24-£90 



ton (Mon. Circ. Ide & Christie, Kov. 1913, Jan. 1920). 



The plant may be propagated by seed, but usually plantations 

 in the Philippines are increased by means of suckers, planted 

 out when about 3 ft. high at distances of from 8-9 ft. apart. 

 A rich open soil, thorough drainage and h-?avy rainfall are 

 essential to success. The first crop is cut at the end of two 

 years after planting, a full crop in the fourth year, +ho plantation 

 continuing for from 15-20 years. The stems are cut for fibre 

 just before flowering. After removal of the leaves, '' each stem 

 is then stripped or resolved into its component layers and these 

 are again divided into strips or ribbons about 3 in, wide. Usually 



