T n,> plan* m is a glaucous- 



leaved sort, teetfi (Agave tigida, var. 



rA,/^/,,), known locally as Sacqui. The Bahamas plant, the Yaxci, 

 is still also found In Yucatan, hut apparently it is not specialh selected 

 for general cultivation. 



Of Agave plants, a familiar example, ; grown in green-houses in this 

 country, ami sometimes put out for decorative purposes during the summer 

 months on lawns and terraces i- thai commonly called the American 

 aloe {Agave a»ieriea,<a). Such plants produce nothiug but leaves for 

 the greater part of their life In 1 1 1 i - state thc\ may last for many 

 years. in some species there are also occasionally produced root 

 suckers, which afford a ready means of increasing the plant, 'lids. 

 however, is a purely vegetative reproduction. The exact life-period ot 

 Agaves in northern latitudes may vary from 10 to, possibly, 50 years or 

 more. On account of this exceptional longevity amount succulent 

 plants they are sometimes called Century plants. In the tropics, grown 

 under natural conditions, these plants seldom last longer than seven to 

 12 or 15 years. Sooner or later, however, within "the periods above 

 mentioned, and depending on the conditions under which they are 

 placed, they throw up a "pole" or flowering stem. On this will 

 successively appear the flowers, the capsules bearing seed, and possibly 

 also numerous bulbils. In some species there are produced abundant 

 seeds, but no bulbils ; in others there are produced bulbils only and no 

 seed. The ripening of the seed or production of bulbils, whichever 

 may be the normal habit, brings the life of the plant to a close. After 

 this the whole plant withers and dies 



The question raised in the Bahamas, arid respecting which the aid of 

 Kew has been nought, has reference !o the exaet length of time the. 

 laxci (Agave ntjidf/, var. si.uihnai) may be expected to last in the leaf 

 state. In other words, how long can the plant be made available to the 

 planter for ihe production of fibre? The matter is naturally one of 

 great interest to the Bahamas people, for on it hang- the success of their 

 plantations. The result of the inquiry a! Ken- is given in the following 

 correspondence. It is so fur satisfactory that, with care and judgment 

 on the part of (hose directly in charge of the plantations, there need be 

 'K'gi'eatei c u- of anxiety in the Bahamas than has been felt during 

 the last 30 years in Yucatan, for plants that have poled might easilY 

 be replaced from time to time by strong healthy "supplies" from 

 nurseries, and the work of the plantations need not at any time be 

 iteiTupted. 



Mr. Xeville Chamberlain to Royal Gardens, Kew. 

 Memorandum. 



July 26, 185)3. 



information has | U .,. n received from the Bahamas of a somewhat 

 serious natur. i , reference fo the Sisal industry. It will be remembered 

 that in the wild state thoc plants ])0 !e when about seven years old, but 

 it was supposed that the cutting of their have-, when cultivated would 

 »"<! prolong tin life of tin plai t, a- is said to be the case 

 with the Vu.-atan variety. It is , a id, however, from observation of old 

 plants in tin I makes no difference to the life of the 



seldom exceeds seven years. As four vears at lea-t are 

 needed for the growth of the plants before they are fit for cutting, this 

 only leaves between two and three years of cropping, in which the planter 



gestions by which the life of the plants might be prolonged and poling 



