33 
The steps taken to Si Sisal hemp plants for Jamaica are detailed 
n the following extract from the Annual Report of the Botanical 
Dupin for the year rà 
* Sisal Hemp.—There is considerable demand in the island for plants 
of Sisal hemp. Three years ago I tried to obtain a supply of plants 
from Yucatan, but the planters there are so anxious to have a monopoly 
of a trade which brings them large fortunes that only through a special 
request from the Colonial Secretary to the British Vice-Consul at 
Pro was lenabled to secure one dozen vd of the kind under 
ordinary cultivation (Agave rigida, var. elon, 
ng on the edges of the leaves , has for. some years been 
re 
tion (1886) by his Paelipney Sir Henry Blake, then Governor of the 
Bahamas. From a test that was made in the railway works pa RA Mr. 
L. Mackinnon on this fibre extracted by Kennedy’s machine, it 
appeared that it is at least as valuable as any fibre oa ani 
and moreover, the leaves being without spines on the edges, are chea 
to work u The Government of the Bahamas had forbidden the 
export of this plant (called * Pita") for a & pelo of bed years, es 
fortunately it has been found possible to get more than lant 
from dr Island, and a plantation has been "ed at Hope 
Mr. todda rt has superintended the planting. It is ex- 
ptei i that it will be foun sible to import a considerable number 
of this Ge of the plant, and several applicati have been received 
from planters for supplies of suckers. Considering that the price of 
Sisal hemp x Lue)! mn pu gu per ton to 27/., caution should 
be exercis in the enterprise. I sho 
r account of the Sisal ess plants at atuaioa i is given in the 
Bulletin. of the Botanical Department for October 1891, p. 15 :— 
* [n order to encourage the planting of Sisal in Jamaica, the Govern- 
ment has imported lately from Florida 25,000 plants of the same 
has 
and of f the fibre focally prepared from them. The specimens w 
labelled respectively Yaxci or Henequen verde (green henequen) ; si 
