BINDER-TWINE FIBER IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 7 



have become accustomed to methods and practices that differ mate- 

 rially from the methods used on the large and well-equipped sisal 

 and henequen plantations of other countries. 



Table III. — Comparative production of maguey and sisal fibers in the Philip- 

 pine Islands for the months of January to May, inclusive, for the years 1918. 

 1919, and 1920. 



Month. 



Comparative production (bales). 



1918 



1919 



1920 





8,834 

 7, 753 

 10, 860 

 9,063 

 9,235 



9,154 

 5,,554 

 6,875 

 6,664 

 9,595 



10,717 

 13, 319 

 16,312 

 13, 227 

 13, 337 



February ,-. . . 





May 



Total.... 



45, 745 



37,842 



66, 912 



In the planting of maguey the land, usually rough and rocky, is 

 cleared or partially cleared of shrubs and weeds, and the maguey 

 plants, usually small and of inferior quality, are set out more or less 

 irregularly (fig. 3). The distance between the plants is ordinarily 

 not more than 3 or 4 feet and frequently even less. The plantings 

 are then entirely neglected or are kept partially cleared until such 

 time as the maguey plants are ready for the first cutting of leaves. 

 On account of the close planting and the lack of cultivation the 

 maguej^ fields frequently become an impenetrable jungle. The first 

 cutting of leaves is usually made before any of the leaves are mature, 

 and at both the first and the subsequent cuttings the plants are de- 

 nuded of all but a small bunch of leaves. As a result of this over- 

 cutting many immature leaves are harvested and the development of 

 the plants is retarded. 



When the prices of fiber are low the maguey plantings are neg- 

 lected and occasionally destroyed. When prices are high all avail- 

 able leaves are harvested regardless of whether or not they are ready 

 for cutting. Harvesting is carried on irregularly and at the conven- 

 ience of the owner. After being cut from the plant, the leaves are 

 split in narrow strips and these strips are made into small bundles. 

 The bundles of split leaves are then taken to the -nearest sea beach or 

 to the mouth of some tidal creek and are immersed in salt water for 

 a period of one to two weeks. When the pulpy portion of the leaves 

 has softened and retted sufficiently the bundles are removed from the 

 water, and, in small quantities, the retted leaves are scraped, beaten 

 on stones, and washed in salt water until all of the pulp is removed. 

 The cleaned fiber is then dried in the sun. With these crude and 

 wasteful methods the Philippine Islands during the calendar year 

 1916 produced 125,484 bales of maguey fiber, which was approxi- 



