: 183 
“ seriously injures the plant, spoils its vigour, and makes its existence d 
“ short one’ š 
sake Mr. Pierce says : = hemp plantation in wees lasts for some 
; 15 years on good land the crop commences in four years 
‘or earlier, whilst on ae ground from six es or more.” (F.0O 
Report, 1892, p. 
©) Mr. Do dge, discussing the Pita or Yaxci plant of Florida and 
Bahamas, remarks that in one instance, on very poor soil, he noticed 
na 10 rs for ndary 
“line had hardly made any growth.” (Report of C. R. ee on “ Fibre 
Investigation in the United States.” Washington, 1893, p 
Mr. C. T. McCarty of Ankona, Florida, says: “ With pe an sisa- 
i lana sends up its pole at seven years on our best lands. So 
“ far as the plant is concerned the ‘ poor land’ theory has no foundation 
“in this locality. Our strongest and finest plants are on our best land.” 
(Dodge, l.e. p. 15 
-) Mr. Me rrick Shaw, Polk County, Erie, describes a Sisal Hemp 
plant under his observation as follows: “The original plant growing on 
“ the soil, of which a sample was sent, poled R seven years old. Twenty 
7 “layers of leaves had been cut from this plant, and the lowest of those 
“remaining measured x hag 9 inches in —_ y 5 inches in width at 
“the broadest part. out 100 suckers had been erent: from (the 
“base of) this plant a sae elsewhere.” Dodge 
g.) . Dodge figures and describes a plant with Uine barely a foot 
big. which had thrown up a slender pole to a height 8 feet or 
more. He adds: “I was bs hs ed by residents on India an Key 
“that this premature blossoming of a young plant or sucker while 
“yet attached to the par ant root is not of uncommon occurrence. 
E Le: p. 
ew, August 16, 1893. D. M. 
baad added.-~The plant Cais in Mauritius, and gie what 
, xnown as Mauritius Hemp i e Green or Feetid Aloe (Furcraea 
pane). The value of the Fc is Rape 50,0002 annu 
This cae is similar to an Agave, both i appearance and habit, 
o 
ing. The oi peen in Mauritius with regard to poling of the 
Furcraea has a s triking resemblance to what has been obena a 
Auei to the Ta in Yucatan. M. de Chazal, who has 
: Sie in time so that as the olda ones die out cutting from the young ones 
. “Should begin. Over-cutting the leaves is common In 
‘is generally held to be injurious to the plants, weakening their gro 
“and causing them to flower and die prematurely. People in Mencitjus 
