195 
more pae of Agave rigida, see page 130), Quite Kenit a fibre of 
i ter i ce i i 
under the name of “ Bombay Aloe fibre.” This was very imperfectly 
prepared, and the price obtained for it was exceptionally low. In 
fact, had it not been for the relatively large demand for white 
rope fibres ape the ai two years this Bombay Aloe fibro would 
cost of 
A. specim en of Bombay Aloe fibre was presented to the Museums of 
Economic Botany at Kew by Messrs. Ide and Christie in 1888, and this 
ed to an ati pareet the plan nt dme i n Application was 
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received at Kew. It 2 appears that Bombay Aloe fibre is prepare from 
the leaves of Agave vivipara, L., in a crude manner by natives, and so 
far no attempt has been made to establish regular plantations. 
Agave vivipara, L. (Wight Icones, t. 2024 3 A. Cantula, Roxburgh, 
Flora of India, vol. ii., p. 167), the “ Bastard Aloe ” of India, i is a native 
of tropical America, but now found widely spread through various parts 
of the Old World. It is said to be commoner in Upper than in er 
n 
in Bengal (Watt, Dict. vol. i, p. 143). Although resembling A. ame- 
ricana somewhat in habit, it is more closely allied to A. lurida. The 
dull green leaves are from 4 to 5 feet long, rather narrow and concave, 
thin but firm in texture, ending in a brown spine about half an inch 
ong. The teeth are seule brown and hooked, 4 to 1 inch long. 
The flowers, borne upon a tall branched flowering stem, about 20 feet or 
more in height, are greenish yellow. The specific name of the bi is 
fall and ike roo “ Royle states that on a rich soil the plant is ae 
** parous, wile 6 on a poor stony soil, and under a dry climate, seeds 
“alone are produced.” 
The utilisation of Agave vivipara as a fibre plant on a large scale is 
apparently of a very recent date. Dr. Watt, in a notice of the gees 
does not refer to it as the origin of Bo mbay Aloe fibre, and apparently 
he was eg yr ote with the fact. The only reference to the bad is 
a as follows :— The Oudh Gazetteer says it is chiefly grown as a hedge 
“ (plant) to keep back cattle, but in the jails go ood ptt is prepa: 
“from its leaves.” Dict. Econ. Prod. India, vol. i., p. 143 (1887). 
As already mentioned, the Bombay Aloe fibre received in this 
kaski is so badly prepared that it is practically meen About 
> A . m e 
NS 
