July x, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
49 
PBODUCTION OF PITA FIBBE IN 
HONDUEAS. 
Consul Burchard, of Ruatan, says that the pita 
plant called " silk grass, " belongs to the same order 
as the piue-apple. It has never been cultivated, but 
is found growing spontaneously in the viciuity of the 
sea coast, od the margins of rivers and lagoons, and 
also on the highlands, below an altitude of 2,000 feet. 
It is very abundant and prolific, and it grows in patch- 
es of various dimensions, some of which contain 
not less than a hundred acres. "When it takes poss- 
ession of the soil it spreads rapidly, and kills all 
other vegetables except large trees. Bach plant or 
sucker has from thirty to fifty stalks, which measure 
from five to twelve feet each in height, and from 
two to three inches in breadth. The fibre is contained 
in the centre of the stalk, in filaments running through 
its entire length. The outside bark covering the fibre 
is very hard and tenacious. The following is the 
method employed in extracting the fibre. The Indians 
place each stalk upon an oval slab, and scrape 
off the bark which covers the filaments with the 
sharp edge of a split bamboo. This is a slow and 
laborious process, which yields on an average not 
more than one pouud of clean fibre a day to each 
man or woman. The Caribs keep the stalks in water 
until the bark becomes partially decomposed, when 
it can be rubbed off quite easily, but the process is 
said to injure the strength of the fibre. In recent years 
many attempts have been made by foreigners to ex- 
tract the pita fibre mechanically, variety of machines 
having been invented for that purpose. Grants of 
territory and exclusive privileges have been obtained 
from the Government of Houduras to work the pita 
fields, and large sums have been expended in erecting 
machinery and other preparatory works. In every 
instance such attempts have failed, owing entirely to 
the fact that no maohine or process has yet been 
invented that will extract the fibre from the pita 
plant on a scale sufficiently large to make it profit- 
able. In Honduras the pita fibre is in general use 
for thread, especially for sewing boots and shoeH, for 
nets, fish-lines, halters, and the best quality of cordage. 
Samples of this fibre, Consul Burchard says, have been 
sent to the Uuited States and to Europe, which have been 
manufactured into a variety of articles such as hand- I 
kerchiefs, laces, ribbons, wigs, false hair, &c. It is 
claimed that it Dan be successfully employed as ~a 
substitute for either silk or linen. The fibre is sold 
by the Indians in the backwoods, prepared in rolls or 
skeins of about twelve inches each, at a cost of about 
one shilling the roll. Iu the cities and towns of the 
interior it is sold in small quantities to shoemakers 
and others for about four shillings per pound. Consul I 
Burchard, in conclusion, says : — " The cost of preparing j 
pita fibre for market by the native system is too great, I 
and the quantity prepared too small for it to become I 
an article of export. With .suitable machinery thousands 
of tons could be extracted from the wild pita fields , 
of Honduras, and when these are exhausted, it could 
be cultivated with the greatest facility. There can be 
no doubt that this valuable fibre is destined to become 
a very important element in the future commerce 
and industry of this country." — Journal 'of the Socii ly 
of Art*. 
♦ 
CABE OP BOILEBS. 
[Compiled f ram Rides issued In/ various Boiler Companies. ] 
1. SAFETY Valves. — See these are amplo in size, 
and in working order. G>e Hooding or tit fleet may 
lead to disastrous results. Examiue every day to see j 
that they act freely. 
2. Pressure Gauge. — Should be at zero when press- 
ure is oil', aud should shew same pressure as the 
safety valve when that is blowing off. If not, then ■ 
gauge should be tested by one known to be correct. 
3. Watku Level.— See that water is at proper 
height . Do not rely on gauge glasses, floats or water 
alarms, but try the cocks. If they do not agree with 
water gaus;e, learn cause, and correct it. 
4. Gauge Corks and Wateh Gauges.— Keep clean. 
Blow off water gague frequently ; glasses and passages 
to gauge should be kept clean. There are more ac- 
cidents attributable to inattention to water gauges 
than all other causes put together. 
5. Feed Pump or Injector.— Keep in pei feet order ; 
no pump is continuously reliable without regular and 
careful attention. Safe to have two means of feeding 
boiler. Check valves, self-actiug feed valves, examine 
aud clean frequently. See frequently that the valve is 
acting when feed pump is at work. 
6. Low Water. — Immdiately cover fire with ashes 
( wet if possible ) or earth. Draw fires as soon as can 
be done without increasing heat. Neither turn on the 
feed, start, or stop the engine, or lift safety valve until 
fires are out, and the boiler cooled down. 
7. Blisters and Cracks. — When first indication ap- 
pears, there must be no delay in having boiler examined. 
8. Fusible Plugs must be examined when boiler 
is cleaned, carefully scraped clean on both water and 
fire sides, or they are liable not to act. 
9. Firing. — Fire evenly and regularly, little at a time. 
Moderately thick fires are most economical ; this firing 
must be used where draught is poor. Do not " clean " 
fires oftener than necessary. 
10. Cleaning. — All heating surfaces must be kept 
clean outside and in, or there will be waste of fuel. 
Hand holes should be frequently removed and surfaces 
examined. 
11. Hot Feed Water.— Cold water should never be 
fed into any boiler if it can be avoided. Wnen necess- 
ary mix it with the heated water before coming in 
contact with any portion of boiler. 
12. Foaming. — Check outflow of steam. If caused 
by dirty water blowing down and pumping up will 
generally cure it. In cases of violent foaming, check 
draught and cover the fire. 
13. Air Leaks.— All these to boilers or flues, except 
through the fire, should be carefully stopped. 
14. Blowing off. — If water be muddy or salt, blow 
off a portion frequently; empty boiler every week 
or two, and refill. When surface blow cocks are 
used, often open for a few minutes. Make sure no 
water is escaping from blow-off cock when it is sup- 
posed to be closed. Examiue cocks whenever boiler is 
cleaned. Never empty the boiler when brickwork is hot . 
15. Leaks. — When discovered, repair at once. 
16. Kapid Firing. — In boilers with thick plates or 
seams exposed to the fire, steam should be raised 
slowly, rapid and intense firing avoided. 
17. Standing unused — Empty and dry thoroughly, 
or fill quite full of water and put in quantity of com- 
mon washiug soda. 
18. General Cleanliness. — Everything about boiler 
room should be kept thoroughly clean and iu good 
order. — Indian Tea Gazette. 
+ 
FIBEE S : — BOYAL GAEDENS, KEW. 
(Fr^m the Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information) 
Bowstring Hemp. — This at present is not an article 
in commercial use ; hut attention may well be di- 
rected to the capabilities of numerous species of 
Sanscvieria for producing fibre of great value. Tlants 
of Santceicria, of which there are 10 or 12 species, 
are very abundant on both the cast and west coasts 
of tropical Africa, which, indeed, may be looked upon 
as the head-quarters, of the genus. One well-known 
species (S. zcylanica) is iodigenous to Ceylon ; aud 
this and others are found along the Bay of Bengal, 
extending thence to Java and to the coasts of China. 
The leaves of these plants are more or less succulent 
and abound in a vury valuable fibre, remarkable 
for fineness, elasticity, and for streugth. 
Usually the leaves are not more thau 1\ to 'J f< >t 
long; in some species, such as S.,guine l si's and .v. 
cylindrica the leaves attain a length of 3 or 4 feet ; 
while in one species, native of tropical Africa, the 
leaves uuder favourable circumstances attain a I I 
of 9 feet. In this species, for particulars of which 
and for samples of its fibre, we are indebted t > sir 
John Kirk, O.C.MO., Consnl-CJ eneral at 
