276 
considerable quantity of cave earth (guano), about 200 tons of which 
has been stored, and was awaiting shipment at the time of my visit. 
Sisal) cultivation, and some 200 acres have already been leared. The 
land, so fur as I was able to judge from the written descriptions, of 
which I have a considerable number, is fully equal to the best land in 
wp removal of a few isolated coral patches. 
4, The only obstacle to the assured and early success of the company, 
working this property, is the difficulty of obtaining sufficient plants of 
the up variety (Agave rigida var. sisalana), but it is one which I 
e may be shortly overcome. At present, the company the 
promise of sufficient ees to stock about 200 acres, but they are ready 
to clear 2,000 acres a year if plants can be had. The labour for — 
E is drawn from Grand Caic cos, where, as decade in my lette 
No. 67 of the 22nd July 1889, there is no Government land available 
for the tà and they have hitherto been forced to bire land a 
rorem 
to Lorimers, on the fibre Sania leased by Mr. 
Hance. This pagperty preeria about 1,000 acres, of which nearly 
one third has been planted out for some years in Pita nfortunately, 
no system was pursued in setting out the land, and the plants are in 
irregular lots among thick b à and, in the six months he has held 
the land, Mr. Hance has made no effort to clear or arrange his planta- 
tion, but has confined himself die gathering the mature leaves. He 
assures me, however, that he intends at once to clear and plant out 
regularly, and has En atten to dispose of his surplus suckers to the 
lessees of Breezy Poin 
6. Mr. Hance be: er ka a stone store and dwelling combined, and 
has put up a 10 horse-power vertical engine, capable of pM 5 or 
6 * Raspadores" At presen t he is onl eam ng one “ Kennedy” 
e," but even ‘ these it was iz side red necessary to divide, before 
pte them through the wheel, and there was a loss of not less than 
30 per cent. of fibre, the land on which the bagasse was put to dry 
being thickly covered toa depth of Fr inches with tangled fibre. 
Mr. Hance assures D" dish in I of t Boe he sar an average 
has yet böön grown. I am inclined to think that the Jatter is the case, 
to some extent at all events, as, at the next place visited, I found 
numbers of plants of the Manila or “Silk Grass” with strong, h 
