EXPERIMENTS ON PITA FIBRE IN MADRAS. 49 
the convalescent insane, near Calcutta. Mr. Hornby tested 
this rope against others made of Country Hemp (that is Sunn), 
Jute, and Coir, and he found the Agave rope exceed the 
others in strength, as appears from the following statement 
sent by him to the Agricultural Society of India: 
CALCULATION OF THE POWERS OF ALOE FIBRE ROPE, COUNTRY HEMP, JUTE, AND 
COIR ROPE, TRIED AT THE ALLIPORE JAIL ROPE-WALK. 
Aloe Fibre Rope, 1 fathom long, and 3 inches in circumference, ee 
broke in a weight of . . E ‘ . ‘ . » 25193 
Coir do. do. do . » 2175 
Country Hemp- do. do. do. . . 22693 
Jute do. do. do . . 24564 
In some experiments which I had made, I found a bundle 
of the fibres bore 2701b., when a similar bundle of Russian 
hemp bore only 160 lb. Dr. Wight had some cord prepared 
with the Agave fibre in Coimbatore, and found it bore 362 ]b. ; 
when similar rope, made from Crotolaria juncea broke with 
407 lb. The following are the results of — 
EXPERIMENTS MADE IN ARSENAL AT FORT ST. GEORGE, JULY 30TH, 1850, on 
ROPES MADE IN JAIL AT MADRAS, IN 1850.! 
8 B34 leg 
8 F eo | as Weight of one fathom of 
Bel. hie ty SES ZS | mania | English each, 
q 2 to i ge S uo | Rope. Hempen| 
5 @ | break.) 2" 3 | 988 Rope. ‘ ' 
6/4 228) 52 Pita. | Manilla.) Europe. 
Tn. |Fms.| Ib Ib. Ib. lb Ib oz 02, oz 
Rope . | 17 2 | 2218 | 1994 | 2016 | — _— 194) — _ 
Ditto . | 13 2/1154} —. | — | 1490 | 1184 814 | 93 13 
Line . | 03 1 863; — —_ _ — 04; — _ 
Cord .|] Of; 1 393) 343) 3718; — _ 03) — _ 
These experiments prove incontestibly, that the Pita fibre is 
possessed of very useful properties ; and we have seen that the 
Agave plant has become naturalised in many widely separated 
parts of the Indian territories. Its characteristics have been dwelt 
upon in detail, because it seems calculated to prove extremely 
useful in India. First, because it grows in dry climates and poor 
soils, such as may be met with both in the Deccan and in Mysore. 
It will, in such situations, form a very effective hedge— 
useful, not only in keeping off from the crops the innumerable 
! For similar experiments on rope, &c., made from Plantain fibres, ». p. 78, &c. 
4, 
