MYSORE AND COORG, S23 



loam, and black cotton soil are equally suitable as a 

 ground-work for this cultivation, but in each case 

 should be added a good proportion of farmyard 

 manure, with occasional top-dressings of oil-cake, 

 bone-dust, night soil, and liquid manure. Plant at 

 intervals of two months so as to keep up a succes- 

 sion of fruit. 

 589 Musa textilis, Nee. In Cav. 



The Manilla hemp tree. Cultivated in Botanical 

 G-ardens. Mr. J. Gr. Baker includes it in the Flora 

 of .British India as a variety or subspecies of 

 M. sapientum. In general appearance, it closely 

 resembles the latter, although the fruit is worthless. 

 It is the Abaca of the Phillippines. 



." The Abaca is cut when about one year and a 

 half old, just before its flowering or frutification is 

 likely to appear, as afterwards the fibres are said to 

 be weaker. If cut earlier, the fibres are said to be 

 shorter and finer. It is cut near its roots,. and the 

 leaves cut. off just below their expansion. It is then 

 slit open longitudinally, and the central peduncle 

 separated from the sheathing layers of fibres, which 

 are in fact the petioles of the leaves. Of these lay- 

 ers the outer are harder and stronger, and form the 

 kind of fibre called bandala, which is employed in the 

 fabrication of cordage. The inner layers consist of 

 finer fibres and yield what is called lupis, and are used 

 for weaving the nipis and other more delicate fibres ; 

 while the intermediate layers are converted into 

 what is called tupoz, of which are made web-cloths 

 and gauzes, four yards long, -of different degrfees of 

 fineness. These are universally used as clothing : 

 some being so fine that a garment may be enclosed 

 in the hollow of a hand." Boyle. 



The ornamental species M. ensete, from Abyssinia, 

 and M. sumatrana, are usually cultiyate^ in the 

 Botanical Grardens. 



