~ 
Ə 
“With the name of longifolia I designate the variety known as 
“& Sacci (Sacqui) and extensively cultiv: ated in Yu ucatan; it is cal 
“ pally distinguished by its much longer spiny leaves, << feet long, 
“& 3-44 inches wide ; flowers very similar to those of the wild a nt, 
& but filaments greenish. A. fourcroyoides, Jacobi, Bey jr , pro 
“ bably belongs here, and A. elongata, Jacobi, p. 108, I would pigris 
“ to this form = the description did not expressly mention a channelled 
« terminal spin 
“ Agave SEA is the name aa Dr. Perrine gave to the plant 
“ known e- a natives of Yucatan as Yaxci, the most valuable of the 
“ fibre-producing Agaves, y will: was introduced by him into South 
‘ matize commercially valuable tropical plants in that almost tropical 
& portion of our territory, efforts which were aided by Congress by a 
“ large grant of land, but which were destroyed, together with his own 
“ life, during the subsequent Indian wars. With this Agave, however, 
“ he has been successful, as it is now fully naturalized, and is quite 
“ abundant at Key West and the adjacent coast. Dr. Parry found it 
“ there in full bloom in February 1871, and gives the following des- 
& cription of it: trunk short; leaves pale reen but not glaucous, 4-6 
“ feet long and 4-6 inches wide, generally smooth-edged, but here and 
“ there bearing a few unequal, sometimes very stou t and sharp teeth ; 
“ terminal spine stout, often twisted, fra black ¢ ; scape 20 or 25 
eor high, panicle 8 feet lon ng an as mae: ne of the largest 
“ fruit, but produced an abundance of buds, by which they propagate 
« themselves and from which this interesting form has been multiplied 
& in this country and in Europe. 
“Tf this plant is, as is most probable, only a cultivated variety of 
“ A. rigida, it is of the greatest importance for the study and the 
“ understanding of the Aga ves, indicating, as it does, the extent of 
“ variation which they may undergo. It shows that the size of leaf 
6 an . 
i A 12-14 iach the width), pak the form of the terminal 
“ spine, the character of the inflorescence, and, above all, the form and 
& proportions of the flower and its parts, remain constant, and i 
“ also the proliferous character of the inflorescence of some species, 
a Report on fibre plants prepared by the late Directo oa the 
a sas Department, Jamaica, in 1884, it is mentioned that with 
regard to the value of A ie rigida and its allied forms as the sources 
of | the Sisal hemp of commerce, there are two important points deserving 
attention. The first is the. universal increasing demand which exists in 
all countries for this fibre, and the second is the drought enduring 
character of the plant and the simple and economical treatment which 
it requires at the hands of the cultivator. 
The fibre of these Agaves under their own name or as Sisal hemp and 
ee yi is quoted at the present time at 38/, per ager. which is a little 
r 4d. per pound, 
A 50702. AS 
