58 
4. It is a plant of slow growth, and takes about two years before 
leaf can be cut for fibre. Its slow growth is one of the draw ried 
or against a ae After washing, what deg isfibre. In ue ud 
the fibre is ae separated by drying the leaves and beating th 
with wooden mallets. 
5. Much of the fibre is made into ropes, which are chiefly used in 
agricultural operations. The manufacture is in the Mt of Mings 
and other depressed — who comm ropes of hemp, coir, &c. Kimbi 
or eultivators seldom take to rope making. In the Korsbsk, Advichin- 
chers, a wandering tribe, have of late taken to rope making. 
RoyaL GARDENS, Kew, to Innra OFFICE, 
Royal Gardens, Kew, 
Sir, February 14, 1890. 
WirH reference to my letter tie ge 21st eee Pe 1889, and 
subsequent eptrespqptüeiiod on the su of Bombay Al fibre, I am 
desired by Mr. Thiselton Dyer to on you that as specimens of 
plants an per advised in your letter of the 21st ultimo, have been 
duly ree at Kew. 
2. These edd confirm the fact that the Bombay Aloe fibre of 
commerce is prepared from the leaves of Agave vivipara, L., an 
Ameriean species of Agave now widely distributed throughout sub- 
quantity to wc several hun 
After a consideration of the facts noted below, it might be und advisable 
to cultivate this species of Agave on waste lands in irure entirely 
for the sake of its fibre; or the zi Taan oe Agave rigida, var 
Sisalana might be i ntroduced on scale. This latter yields the 
most valuable fibre of any deri vili Sous species of Agave, and there is 
little doubt it — thrive equally well in India. The important fibre 
n, created entirely within the last 20 years, is on 
ty therefore, good grounds for deni attention to an industry which 
o far has —S itself on a moderate 
circumstance 
. In gna to test the quality of the fibre produced by Agave vivipara 
et cleaned by machines similar to those in use for the preparation of 
Sisal hemp in Yucatan and the West Indies, a few of the broken leaves 
about a foot to two feet in length, taken from the larger plant. received 
U 61813. Ad 
