172 
nto. Experience will no doubt lead to a lessened expense of cultiva- 
iien, especially in the matter of weeding, that E hitherto been a large 
item, but in which it now appears a reduction may be made. The 
highly important question of labour is well ardal, and the whole 
quantity of one hundred thousand acres may be brought into cultiva- 
tion without strain on our present resources. The plant, being con- 
fe weird the best of any known growth, a demand from abroad has set 
be encouraged, and for this and other reasons t ct passed three 
s ago, to prohibit the export of plants, has se been extended 
rs more. e 
by outside ager and the progress of the colony be consequently 
retarded. would be difficult to assign a limit to the future advance 
of the sates ce the growth of thisremarkable industry. Though the 
land provisionally assigned to fibre cultivation (one hundred pye: 
ig will in time yield 50,000 tons, there seems no reason why eve 
ea 
S gre 
if is markets of the time shall admit of its profitable disposal. It is 
generally thought that, from the excellence of the fibre, it will find its 
way into other fields for its use besides rope-makin and recent experi- 
ears prove that it takes a dye demesne, indicating its Aig age to 
in fabrics, and to some extension of demand on this account. 
There i is the further ground for the oai ane ‘asa for Bahamas 
hemp in the peaks that it can be produced more cheaply than any 
own fibre of equal value, and it may be inferred that it will hold its 
own at ae | against the influence s any probable competition with 
which it may have to contend.” 
LIL—SISAL HEMP HEMP INDUSTRY IN YUCATAN. 
[K. B., 1892, pp. 272-277.] 
A general review of the Sisal in Ey a in various parts of the 
world is giv an in the pena pi A Beto account of the fibre 
bunts was some precise and detail formation respecting the 
various machines in use in Yucatan for extracting the fibre. It was felt 
that the — of the whole industry depended ina great measure upon 
this one poe 
At the reque uest of Sir Ambrose Shea, Captain ` Jerome Stuart, 
the Resident Justice of Long Island, was de eputed to proceed to Yucatan 
with instr sage to study the wikis = subject of a perenne and 
production in that country, and draw a comparison between the circum- 
stances of Nace and Bahamas as regards soil, climate, and the 
general healthiness of the plants. Captain Jerome Stuart gave par- 
ticular attention to the character of the machinery used for extracting 
the fibre, and he gives the results obtained from each machine. This 
is report will be read with Heron There are apparently no 
insuperable difficulties met with in Yucatan in extracting the n from 
Agave leaves. The total exports of fibre from Yucatan are 
