208 
quantities for pase S but our imports come give saaniga hye 
York. Such things as trade statistics are difficult to obtain in Mex 
The only figures I have are unreliable. ere are no peel deilan 
but as a rule it costs about $20 (Mexican) for every shipment crossing 
the borders. This is made up of fees to Customs authorities on both 
; aking to i 
through. There is a tax of 4 per cent. on all transactions in the 
Republic, but many large firms contract themselves out of this tax, which 
is called Renta Interior, and is payable by the buyers. The present (1890) 
price of the finest Lechuguilla fibre (Jaumave) is a 30/. to 35%. per 
ton ; that of shorter and coarser sty Ss illa (Tula), 287. to 287. 10s. ; 
and of inferior si petat and P as ete ‘about 22/. per ton. 
Before closing I may perhaps that the Agave and Yucca fibre 
industry is at present sae its infancy. If intelligently followed it might 
become a very prosperous enterprise in man of our tropical possessions 
0 i 
aae yee of the development of the fibre industry in the 
show what can be done by intelligent and systematic 
action, 
(Signed) W. S. BOOTH. 
LXV.—MAURITIUS HEMP. 
(Furcraea gigantea, Vent.) 
[K. B., 1887, March, pp. 8-10.] 
hemp industry was started at the Mauritius to utilize the large 
number of plants of Furcraea gigantea, Vent., which had spontaneously 
established themselves on low-lying lands near the sea coast 1s 18 
oldest and best known species of Furcraea, and is no 
universally spread throughout tropical America, and in India, 
eylon, Mauritius, and St. Helena. The trunk below the rosette of 
leaves reaches a height of 2 to 4 feet. The leaves are 4 to 7 feet long, 
4to6 Fara ape at the middle, unarmed, bright green watt channelled 
down the e scape or terminal flowering stem reaches a height 
of 22 to 30 "Feat Like all the other Furcraeas this species produces 
cultivation in England, the last time at n: being the autumn of 1874. 
A full account, with g Le cy of the various species of Furcraea is 
given by Mr. J. G. Baker in Garden se” Chvoni cle (1879, pp. 623, e 
Furcraea gigantea is iruei: in the B Botanical Magazine, t. 2250 : Wight 
Ic., tab. 2025 : Decandolle, Plantes Grasses, t. 126. 
Although Furcraea gigantea, known locally as Aloés vert, is the chief 
bre plant in Mauritius, there is evidence that Furcraea cubensis is also 
aes there, as well as species of Agaves such as A. americana and 
others. 
Bojer (Hortus Mauritianus, p .393) Mentions aren apes vert (Furcraea 
gigantea) as common in 1837, and states “ ontagne 
“Langue dans les a v vides et les va ry ao habitations dans 
