Ree. May 28 



Ars. Aug. 21, 1872 



acobi 



Berlin, November 8 t l871 



Most Esteened Friend I 



A"^ article about sisal-henp und its produetion in Yucatarr in 

 !\ T o. 36 of the Ausland (Foreign Country) of this year, causes me rot 

 to wait for the answer to my letter of of the end of September, but 

 to direct you to this article and to pronounce my views ooncerning- 

 the comparison there with your coramunicationa of Aug. 15 of this 

 year. The article deals with the agricultural management of A«an gustli- 

 jfolia a nd striata in Yucatarr , and the marufacture of ropehemp, speci- 

 ally of woven sacks, which are being exported in large quantities to 

 the westindian Islands There is beirec raentioned there, that 1 there , • 

 in the horaeland of the plantt 5 different varieties occuir and/ cultiva- 

 ted there, and it seems to me oaeteris paribus (Latin, "things being 

 equal"), that they correspond to those know from Florida, of which 

 you have the opinion, that they developed through culture from- the 

 original Speeles. To me it appears now, as lorpe as the contrary has 

 rot beer establisijed beyondt cortrad ic ti on, that my opinion has the 

 greater probability. One of the rative f orms has also a relatively 

 rauch larp-er leaf.is, however, much less esteened because of much 

 lower fibre quality. What though confirras me even more in my opini- 

 on-, is, that the plant is also being cultivated in its homeland , and 

 thus the different+-f orms, which one observes in Florida, could hardly; 

 have developed through cultivationv You. are there closer to the source 

 and capable to solve the question und er study. 



The article teils further, that you are involved- in the prepa- 

 ration o^ a eomplete monoprraph of the A^avae. That is rossibly a 

 mi stake with your treatraent of 1 the north-american Agavae, of which you 

 write to me. 



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