44 



(excepting a few variegated ornamental varieties) and so are easily 

 distinguished from the blue green foliage of the agaves. Upwards of 

 twenty kinds have been described, but of these only comparatively a 

 few have been utilized as fibre plants. One species Fourcroya for 

 Furcr<Ba) gigantea produces a strong thick trunk 4 to 6 feet tall. 

 The others, if they produce a stem of any size at all, only develop 

 a short one 6 to 12 inches long. As these plants die after flowering, 

 the development of the trunk really depends on the length of time 

 the plant takes to flower, in other Words the length of the life nf the 

 plant. 



The plants are propagated by bulbils produced in enormous 

 abundance in the axils of the flower spikes after the fall of the 

 flower, but in F. gigantea and occasionally in other species of slow 

 growth a few shoots are also produced in the stem below the leaves. 

 The bulbils are planted in nurseries till they are about one foot or 

 a foot and a half across the leaves and then can be planted out. They 

 should be planted not less than six feet apart, in fairly good soil, 

 though some of the species grow well in Very poor clayey soil. They 

 prefer full sun if planted in heavy shade, or very damp spots, they 

 make but slow growth, the leaves are small and flaccid. In a good 

 sunny spot the leaves are broad stiff and thick, and attain in some 

 species a length of 8 to 10 feet. When the plant is about a year 

 old, it- leaves are ready to cut, only the lowest leaves are taken, 

 three or more at the top must be left or the plant will die. When full 

 grown the plant produces flowers (called " poling "). It throws up 

 a stem several inches through to a height of 12 or more feet above 

 the plant, ending in a spreading loose panicle of numerous w hite and 

 green flowers. The leaves now droop and wither. The bulbils are pro- 

 duced in the axils of the flower and fall soon in piles on the ground, and 

 then the whole plant, unless by chance it has thrown up suckers, dies 

 completely. The pole or flower stalk, when dry is pithy and pieces of 

 it can be used as razor strop-. It is stated that in some places cut- 

 ting the leaves for fibre making causes the plant to polo very soon. 

 I have no direct evidence of this and it certainly does not occur in 

 most places where it is cultivated. Possiblv this only occurs in 

 certain species. 



The fruit which is an oblong cap nrfe with thin flat seeds never 

 seems to be produced in this count r v. 



The plant is sometimes grown round estates and railways to pre- 

 vent cattle trespass and the invasion of wild pigs, deer, etc. Its 

 sharp pointed leaves radiating in all directions effectually prevent 

 animals from eros^ing it. 



The two species most commonly grown for fibre are F. gigantea 

 and F. c?tbf>vsis. 



F. gigantea is distinguished by its usually producing a trunk- 

 four to six feet tall and 6 to 8 inches through and having the leaves 

 thorn less along the edge or nearly so. 



F. atbensis produees no trunk and the leaves are armed with 

 strong thorns, 



