23 



sides, and is what Scotchmen call " sand-dunes," cast up by the action of 

 ■wind and tide. It is covered with light scrub, almost -wholly " black-butt " 

 and oak and the common fern. We hare every reason, so far, to be satisfied 

 with the result of our work. The plants are growing well, the Agaves 

 makin g more headway than the Fourcroy as, but both rooted splendidly, 

 and of course no blanks. They all grow, and from such soil — if I may 

 call it soil — we shall get a grand fibre. My only cause of dissatisfaction is 

 that I have not 6,000 instead of 600 acres down ; but I have some diflSculty 

 in getting plants. We plant about 600 to the acre. I have not as yet 

 secured machinery. I do not want it for another twelve months. I know 

 where to go when I want it. 



Yours very faithfully, 



(^Ti^OT? PIT W/ TTTTP' 



Mr. W. E. Guilfoyle, F.L.S., C.M.R.B.S., London, 



&c., &e.. 



Director, Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. 



The products of Agave rigida and its sub-species or varieties 

 are known commercially as " Grass Hemp," " Mexican Hemp," 

 " Mexican Grass," " Cabulla," " Henequen Hemp," and " Sisal 

 Hemp." They are largely cultivated at the Bahamas and Yucatan, 

 and samples of the fibre have brought as much as £38 per ton in 

 England. From the Agaves Eumphii, angustifolia, geminiflora, 

 Jaquiniana potatorum, Salmiana (Fig. IX.), and Karatto, iibres 

 more or less useful are produced. 



The nearly allied 



"LILY FAMILY" OEDER (LILIACE^) 



is rich in textiles ; indeed some of them are said to be far 

 superior for many purposes. New Zealand is the home of several 

 valuable fibre plants belonging to this order. The cultivation 

 of Phormium tenax, the so-called " New Zealand Flax " (vide 

 Figs. V. and VI.), there is little doubt will eventually become 

 an important colonial industry. Already it is generally known 

 to the commercial world, under the name " New Zealand Hemp," 

 as one of the staples of New Zealand produce, whence the expor- 

 tation of several varieties of it, both in a prepared and partially 

 prepared state, has of late years attained very high figures. Sir 

 James Hector, F.R.S., &c., Director of the Colonial Museum 

 and Geological Survey Department, Wellington, New Zealand, 

 informs me that since the last date given in his report on the 

 subject the export of Phormium hemp has been as follows : — ^ 



Or a grand total for five years of £1,314,296 sterling. 



