. 22 
fortunate in possessing a soil and climate very favourable to the pro- 
duction of excellent fibre. They also have the great advanta e of 
possessing, on the spot, immense quantities of plants of the best variety 
own i 
industry is now within measurable distance of being accomplishe 
has elapsed 
coming. 
industry odge says “ what can be don Bahamas I have 
“ reason to believe can be accomplished in this country [Florida] . . 
ve the soil, the climate, and th e combination 
* the problem, if indeed, the question is not already practically solved.” 
A farther account of the efforts made to establish Sisal hemp plantations 
in Florida is given later. 
A small but promising effort is being made to grow fibre at some of 
the Turks and Caicos Islands, and plants obtained from this source and 
from Florida have been introduced into most of the West Indian colonies. 
A short account has been prepared, mentioning most of the localities 
where plants of Sisal hemp are now found, and this account will afford 
useful material for enabling those who may wish to do so to decide as to 
the wisdom or otherwise of embarking in a fibre industry at the present 
time. At the close of the article, a statement is given of the average 
price per ton obtained for Sisal hemp in this country during the last 
13 year: 
Yucatan. 
Information respecting the Sisal hemp industry in Yucatan has 
alread iven in the Kew Bulletin for March 1887. Since that 
time an effort has been made to obtain direct from Yucatan a represen- 
tative collection of the various Agaves cultivated in that country for 
bre purposes. 
Through the kind offices of the late Mr. Augustus Baker, Her 
Majesty’s Consul at Vera Cruz, a large plant with a tall stem and 
flowering panicle was received at Kew in May 1890. The plant was 
on arrival, but it has since been prepared as a eum specimen, 
and is now deposited in Museum II. The dimensions of this plant are 
