48 EXPERIMENTS ON PITA FIBRE IN BENGAL. 
bark of the roots of certain trees, which is used in that part 
of India as a cheap substitute for string and cord. Dr. 
Tranter found he could pull out single fibres, measuring from 
twenty to thirty inches in length; but he separated a larger 
quantity by macerating the leaves in water for a week and 
then beating them with a stick. Capt. A. Thompson, of 
Messrs. T.’s rope-manufactory at Calcutta, having tested 
the fibres, found the strength quite equal to the best Russian 
hemp. He also states, in June, 1852, that a considerable 
quantity of fibre, exactly similar, had lately been imported from 
the Malabar coast, and that he had some made into rope, which 
very much resembled Manilla rope: but time was required to 
test its durability. It was then worth about four rupees per 
bazar maund in the Calcutta market. 
Though this Pita or Agave fibre is so much employed in 
different parts of the world, its great merits seem to be, 
generally, but little known. We have seen that in South 
America, ropes made with it are considered both strong and 
durable. The ropes made at Algiers have been found to possess 
great strength; and the log-lines in H.M. ship Portland to 
be both durable and not shrinking after the third day. In 
lightness and colour they resemble ropes of Manilla hemp, 
though they are not usually so strong. But in a “ comparative 
trial made at Paris, between ropes made of hemp and of the 
aloe from Algiers, the latter was found to bear 2000 kilogrames, 
while the former, of equal size, bore only 400.” So, in some 
comparative trials made at the French dock yard at Toulon, 
on ropes made from these fibres and from hemp, the following 
results were obtained, both being immersed in the sea for six 
months, and exposed to the atmosphere for the same time. 
‘| Weight Weight || Difference in 
PITA. supported. HEMP. aunaried . || favour of Pita, 
: Pounds, 2 ? Pounds. Pounds. 
Plungedin sea. .) 3810 | Plungedinsea. .| 2538 1272 
Exposed to air . .| 3724 | Exposedtoair. .| 3022 702 
In the year 1841 some rope was made under the direction 
of Mr. Hornby at the Alhpore Jail rope-walk, of Aloe, or rather 
Agave fibre, obtained from plants which had been grown by 
