ae 
191 
cases, they were too poor and their plantings too limited to admit of the 
cost of a machine. A piconet! solution, however, has now been found 
which will be a great boon to this class and will bring the Lene a a 
the industry home to the humblest peasant in the Colony. The pro 
is as simple as it is available to all, and consists of a slit being meg! in 
the thick end of the leaf, when it is torn asunder, leaving the inner part 
exposed, and by then soaking it in salt water, which i is never far to reach, 
in about a week the pulp may be removed by hand and the fibre 
preserved. No waste whatever is found in this method; and it is under- 
stood that a man or woman, or grown boys or girls, may turn out from 
50 to 60 pounds of fibre as tie result of a day’s work. The plan is 
ae adopted throughout the Colony, and what was for some time 
med a missing link is thus effectively supplie 
crc has always ws a certain amount of speculation as to the 
effects of femmes on the fibre fields, and though the plants are so 
hardy, the idea ome degree a disturbing one. The question has 
now been satisfactorily tested. In August last, as well as in October, 
the Bahama Islands were visited with Paes which did cbnsidebahta 
damage to valpas kinds of property. In one or two cases fibre fields, 
by unusual rising of the tides, were laid under water, and it was sup- 
poded that in these instances much injury had been done to the plants. 
eventually to be trifling. The ee ves were much knocked about, but 
they finally Preen tod 5 a great extent, and they are now being dressed, 
producing a fibre not much inferior to the best, but classed as No. 
because of some en spots being discoloured which detracts va 
the ‘appearance, though not, it is believed, from the strength of the 
article. 
Labour continues in good supply and is not likely to be a cause of 
difficulty for many years. Railways are being laid down in the Ramee 
und t 
pounds of leaf yielding not more than Pig or five pcaile of 
cer 
Scutching machine has been accepted exports should go forward 
moderately in 1894, but on a large and increasing scale in the following 
and future years. 
The conerally accepted standard of 600 plants to the acre is now in 
s being changed to 800 and in some instances to 1,000. It 
many ca 
this Hessen number be not found to impede harvesting by the 
u 
inconvenient crowding of the a the af ield per acre should, of course, 
ae y want of room for t the full development of the plants, 
(Signed) A. SHEA. 
ag ADDED, A $1, 1898.—The latest information in regard to Sisal 
dis Daaa ts aaia tac the Sisal industry, by D. Mortis, 0.M.G., D.Sc., 
1300 Colonial Reports, Miscellaneous, No, 5, Bahamas. Since t that time the price 
