88 THE TEOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Aug. 1, 1903. 
The following is a sketch of No. 1 fibre- extractor which I consider to be a better type than No, 2.:— 
No. 1.— Sketch of a simple machine which is used at Gabat, Philippine islands, for extracting plaintain fibre. 
i. Bamboo or stick, abont 74 feet in length, which 
ia supported by the wire h at one end, and by a brick 
stone or piece of wood 1 at the other, so as to serve the 
purpose of a pedal. When the foot is placed on the 
stick with a little pressure, the handle of the knife c 
is depressed and the blade is thereby opened for the 
reception of a stiip of plantain which it is intended 
to clean, 
Tc. Ic. Two small stakes driven into the ground and 
standing ahout 15 inches in height to serve as guides 
for keeping the pedal i steady. 
1. Brick, stone or piece of wood to support the end 
of the pedal i about 3 inches above the ground. 
Having got the machine or machines fitted up 
the next thing to do is to see that the knife-blade 
fits very evenly and correctly on the flat, iron sole- 
plate. On no account must the edge of the blade be 
too sharp, otherwise the fibre will be cut or broken. 
Having got the knife of the requisite bluntnesa the 
next thing to be considered is the pressure exercised 
by the spring f. A little experience will enable the 
operator to adjust the pressure to the exact degree 
that is required to get the best results out of the 
machine. If the pressure is too great the fibre will 
be unduly strained and broken more or less. If, on 
the other hand, the pressure is insu£5cient, an un- 
necessary number of strokes have to be given to get 
the fibre clean. It is therefore a most important 
matter to adjust correctly the pressure of the knife- 
blade. For this purpose, a chain is better suited 
than a cord to connect the knife handle c and the 
spring/, as the individual links furnish an easy means 
of graduating the shortening or lengthening of the 
chain, sff that almost any degree of prt asure that may 
be desired can be readily obtained. 
It may be mentioned that the fibre obtained from 
plantain stems which have been grown in full sun- 
light is considerably stronger than that obtained from 
stems which have been grown under the shade of 
trees or in shady situations. 
The plantain stems should be cut into 3^ feet 
lengths: each length shouI.d be opened up into its 
Eo>i>lanation of Sketch, 
a — a. Two posts fixed in the ground to support the 
horizontal beam &. The beam is fastened securely to 
the posts by eight stout nails. 
h. Round wooden beam, 8 feet in length by 6 inches 
in diameter, fixed horizontally on supports a— a, 
with its upper surface at a height of about 2 feet 
7 inches from the ground. 
e. Iron knife, about 9 lb. in weight and 3| feet in 
length, with a blunt edge, fixed on an axle to the 
beam h. Ihe blade of the knife should close firmly, 
and very evenly, on to an iron sole-piate, 15 inches in 
length by 2 inches in width, and half an inch in thick- 
ness, which is secured to the beam b by two screws. 
• c CI), Wooden block fixed in the beam 6 with a deep 
groove cut in it to accommodate the handle of the 
knife c for the purpose of keeping it steady. The 
groove allows the handle to be moved up and down 
freely, but prevents it from being moved to an 
nndesirable extent laterally. 
d. Post fixed in the ground at right angles to the 
beam & at a distance of 6 feet from the latter. The 
post should stand about 4J feet above the ground 
level for the purpose of supporting the pole /, 
e. Post driven into the ground firmlr at a distance 
of about 6 feet from d, and standing about a foot 
and-a-half above the ground, for the purpose of trying 
the base of the pole f to, 
f. Bamboo or other strong supple pole, about 14 
feet in length, tied to the two post d and e bo as 
to act as a strong spring to which the handle of the 
knife c is connected by a chain. 
g. Chain, connecting /' with c, which can be 
lengthened or shortened as ia found necessary in order 
to obtain the desired pressure of the blade of the 
knife on the fibre. 1 foot 7 inches to 1 foot 10 inches 
■will be found a useful working range of length of the 
chain or distance between the end »t the bamboo / 
and the end of the knife c. 
h. Piece of wire fixed to the end of the knife, c, 
then passing through a hole made in the beam b and 
tied to the end of a long straight stick or bamboo i. 
