6 



great loss of fibre. Great care is taken in Yucatan to put out the plants quite upright, and stones are 

 even placed to support them in a proper position, for they grow as they are planted. 



The rainy season is the best time for planting. 



Stoddart gives the accompanying plan for laying out a field : — 



A B C D 





Interval. 

































































































13 

 w 







[nterval. 





















































































































































































E 



The field is divided into three sections, each of which measures 10| chains, and is represented as- 

 follows : — 



A to B first section, B to C second section, C to D third section ; in the middle of each runs an 

 interval of proper width having a depth on either side within each section of about five chains. The 

 short lines drawn across indicate the rows of hemp between which the cutter works, and therefore has 

 — while cutting in any section — a distance of not more than five chains to carry the leaves to the interval, 

 where the cart gets loaded. Each section has its boundary line as is shown from B to E. 



Culture. — The culture is extremely simple. No shade of any kind is allowed, bush is cut down,, 

 and trees taken up by the roots. The young suckers are taken off, and if they are not required for 

 planting out, they are burnt. Any plant of quite low growth may be planted between the young plants 

 to give " catch crops." When the plants are about two years old, cattle may be turned in to keep the 

 grass low, and to prevent bush springing up. Sisal Hemp plants thrive better without either hoeing 

 or ploughing. Various estimates have been formed of the duration of these plants, but at any rate 

 they last from 12 to 20 years. When they show signs of dying off, new suckers are planted between 

 and thus there need never be a vacant spot in the plantation. 



Havesting. — When the leaf is ready for cutting, it will have inclined downwards to a horizontal 

 position, and its colour will have become darker. Cutting should commence from the bottom, and the 

 leaf must be taken off clean and as close as possible to the trunk. As soon as the leaf is cut, the 

 prickles on the edges and point should be trimmed off. The leaves are then made up, point and base 

 alternately, into bundles of fifties for delivery at the works. Thirty such bundles are a day's wo 

 -but of course more can be done, if the variety is cultivated without the prickles on the sides of the 

 leaves. The bundles are placed on the edge of the cart-road, 30 bundles being a load for a dray. The 

 workmen are paid so much per 1,000 leaves. 



The time required for the leaves to ripen after planting varies, according to soil and situation, 

 from 2 to 3 years. 



Extraction of Fibre. — The fibre should be extracted from the leaves as soon as they are brought in. 

 If left for more than 2 or 3 days after cutting, the fibre is spotted. 



When the fibre is extracted by passing the leaf through the machine, it is hung on drying stands 

 in the sun for about 2 hours until it is quite dry. If rain comes on, the fibre must be hung up under 

 cover, or it will become discoloured. In wet weather a fire is kindled to warm the drying house, or 

 operations are suspended. 



The fibre is often bleached by leaving it on the drying stand for 24 hours after being dried, but it 

 requires to be. constantly turned. The fibre is improved in appearance, but weighs less. 



The drying stand is made by erecting posts 4 feet high and fastening rails or wire on the top from 

 one to another. 



The refuse from the leaves is dried in the sun and burnt. 



l'aiticular attention is paid in Yucatan to the operation of baling, and all discoloured fibre is sepa- 

 rated and packed as a second quality. Even the cordage used to cord the bales of first quality must be 

 of the same kind. The bales are pressed either by a screw or a hydraulic press, and great care is taken 

 to make the bales neat-looking and of uniform weight. 



Machinery. — One fibre machine is required for every hundred acres of plants. 



Preston says : — "The first farm I visited, "Chenkj," was running 6 of Death's fibre machines or 

 wheels 50 inches in diameter, 8 inch face and 8 knives or scrapers, driven by a No. 7281 10 h.p. Marshall, 

 Sons & Co.'s stationary engine, and each wheel was cleaning the leaves at the rate of 20 to the minute 

 .or 8,000 per wheel for a day's work. 2 men at each wheel, standing between the wheel and rack con- 



