May 1, I90i.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
acid; and that if the cassava had been grated, as wa,s 
done by Francis, the water would, within Francis's 
limit, dissolve the whole of the acid. 1 have not 
found this to be the case, as the following experi- 
ment shows: — 
Sweet Cassava. 
Half (408 
Half (427 
grammes) 
grammes) 
Duration. 
sliced n/10 
grated n/10 
AgN03. 
AgN03. 
First extract 2 hours 
3-0 c.c. 
2-2 c.c. 
Second „ 2 ,, 
1.8 „ 
1-4 „ 
Third „ 20 „ 
H-5 „ 
1-4 .. 
Fourth „ 2 „ 
1-0 „ 
0-7 „ 
Fifth „ 2 „ 
1-0 „ 
0-9 ., 
Sixth „ 17 „ 
1-1 ., 
0-5 ;, 
Seventh „ 2 ., 
0-4 „ 
0-7 „ 
Eighth „ 2 „ 
0-5 „ 
0-9 „ 
Ninth „ 2 „ 
0-2 „ 
1-3 „ 
Total 
12-0 c.c. 
10 0 c.c. 
It would appear from this and similar experiments 
that the whole of the hydrocyanic acid cannot be re- 
moved from grated cassava by a two hours" extrac- 
tion with water, and that there is apparently a loss 
of acid even when the grating is done under water. 
And, notwithstanding that my yield from slices is 
the higher of the two, Francis's results from a two 
hours' extraction are appreciablj^ above mine. As 
already stated, this may be due to the exceptionally 
dry season. Next year 1 shall continue the experi- 
ments in order to clear up this ditficulty. At present 
I am inclined to believe that part of the acid may be 
formed by fermentative change. If this be so, cassava 
starch on keeping would be likely to be more poison- 
ous than when freshly prepared. Fermentation be- 
yond a certain limit entirely decomposes the hydro- 
cyanic acid. 
There appear to be no grounds for the common 
belief that sweet cassava contains more HON the 
older it is. In all the samples examined during a 
period of nine months from the time cassava was 
lirst brought to market the proportion of HON 
showed no increase that could be traced to age. Nor 
is there any ground for the belief that the locally 
grown sweet cassava is but a degenerate growth re- 
sulting from many years' association with the bitter 
variety. A selected sample imported from Jamaica 
and grown at the local Government gardens contain- 
ed the same amount, and the same relative pro- 
portions in skin and inner part, of HON as the 
ordinary product of Trinidad. 
The subject is not yet exhausted, and I hope to be 
in a position to publish further results next year. 
SISAL HEMP IN CUBA. 
{Specially translated for '^Indian Gardening 
and Planting.'^) 
We are indebted to M. J. Vilbouclievitch 
of Paris for a copy of a most interesting report 
by M Leon HautefeuLlle upon his mission to 
Cuba on behalf the Cayo-Cruz and Cayo- 
Komano Company to inspect their lands under 
Sisal Hemp in those parts. From the report 
we gather that the Company lias leased its 
lands to the Paris firm of Bridat-Mont'Ros 
et Cie. for a period of two years, renewable 
by mutual consent for the same period. The 
necessary capital has been supplied by the 
Maison Bridat-Mont 'Ros, the net profit to be 
shared between the firih and the Company. 
The local management is confided to M. 
Mahiquez. The enterprise has only just (19UU) 
reached the productive stage. It is now in 
full bearing, but was at the commencement 
of last year handicapped by insufficient supply 
of bullocks for traction and to work the 
decorticator. Twenty-eight pairs of bullocks 
have now been sent from Havana, and this 
want is therefore well supplied. The follow- 
ing is a translation of M. Hautefeuille's 
report of the actual state of the plantation : — 
" An inspection of the henequen plants pro- 
duced upon me a most happy unpression. They 
were superb in size, vigour and health. Nothiut; 
is more satisfactory to one wiio has an agricul- 
tural taste, tlian the sight ot a cultivation well 
suited to the soil and in conditions in which ic 
lirids itself well placec'.. Tlie lands occupied by 
the henequoi Ave ineontestibly of a poor nature. 
I\o one would seriously think of planting there 
any rich cultures, and yet here is ihe fact that a 
plant, formerly wild, brought here, flourishes, 
develops marvellously and furnishes ni abun- 
dance an industrial product in good demand, of 
which the sale is indefinitely a.-*sured at a good 
price. 
" Henequen fibre is in fact very much in demand 
for the manufacture of .strodg labrics, and above 
all for ropes employed on slii|iboard, by reason of 
its lightness, strength and re.'sistance to rot. 
Henequen is an Agave ( Agave Mexicana 
Aqave sisalani), wiiich was long considered a 
plant without value, very common in the Bahamas 
in Yucatan and other parts of Mexico, wliere 
one variety is utili.sed for the manufacture of a 
fermented drink called pulque. The fibre 
having been found ntilisabie, experiments were 
made in Mexico, alter which importance planta- 
tions were made as soon as a machine allowing of 
the fibre being economically obtained was devised. 
Yucatan in particular undertook the production 
of Jtenequen ; subsequently the lands, till then 
uncultivated, in the Bahamas furnished a supe- 
rior variety. Cultivation modifies the characieri 
of the plant a little, of which it develops the size ; 
but it is the nature of the soil which has the 
greatest influence on the value of the fibre ob- 
tained. 
" The old administrators of Cayo-Komano 
(the Spaniards) attempted to turn to account 
this novel cultivation. They made experiments in 
all the soils of the Cayos. The plant grew 
irregularly ; very badly in the gravels of Cayo 
Cruz, which were besides too humid ; better at 
Cayo-Komano, in the low dry soils; less well on 
the heights not on account of the soil, but because 
of the altitude ; in an inadequate manner in the 
lands, althougb of better quality, of the northero 
^slope. 
" Henequen requires a poor dry, rocky soil j 
it loves tlie pockets of soil formed between rocks 
to which it seems to cliog. It needs plenty of heat 
and tbe rocks store up and emit heat. Hence 
there arise very appreciable difl'erences of quality. 
The finest specimens i)rodu(9iQ^ the bQat fibre ar^ 
