4U 
It may be taken that 1,000 leaves at maturity give from 40 to 60 
lbs. of fibre, and on the cutting of these the life of the plant depends 
for, if they are not cut, the plant will pole before time, and once 
poled the hemp becomes dry, if not entirely useless. The time for 
cutting the leaves is when they- are at nght angles to the stem. 
Weeding is necessary every year, about a month before the rainy 
season begins, so that the plants may 1 ave all the advantage of the 
rain, and at the same, time new shoots are planted. Shoots are cut 
from the plants at from two to three years of age. The purchaser, 
if wishing these for use out of the State, would have to pay about 
80 dollars per 1,000 in addition to the cost of cutting and other 
charges, as well as a heavy export duty. And purchasers have 
been known to wonder why they would not grow, not being aware 
that the grower has been known to boil the shoots to prevent com- 
petition in other lands. The leaves are, when ready for cutting, 
about 5 feet long. After they are cut the thorns on both edges and 
the hard point or needle are removed, the leaf then being passed 
through a cleaning machine and the fibre when extracted is dried 
and bleached in the sun. it is then ready for export, and put up in 
bales of about 160 lbs. In 1884 the State of \ucatan exported 
233,311 bales, in 1894, 373,833 bales, and in 1903, 590,430 bales - 
The principal purpose for which the hemp is used is the manu- 
facture of rope and binder twine. It is generally mixed with some 
manila, which is longer and somewhat better. Some of the hemp 
is shipped to Europe, but the great bulk of it is sold in the f nited 
States. The machinery employed for preparing hemp or sisal grass 
for the market, comes almost entirely from the United States. The 
growers have all become enormously wealthy, many of them being 
millionaires. Roughly speaking, what costs one dollar to produce 
sells for four dollars. 
The exports during the last five years were : — - 
Year. 
Quantity. 
.. 
- — : * 
Bales. 
1899 ■■■ 
445>97S 
19OO ••• 
499,626 
tgoi 
5 1 7 j 5 1 9 
1902 
528,246 
• 1903 
590,430 
3/iW 
