95 
[ ilep.‘ No. 564. ] 
ceous fibres from her acclimated Phormiam and her naturalized Agaves 
as superior substitutes for flax and hemp, both for home consumption and 
foreign exportation. The strength of the fibre of the Flax Lily compared 
with that of common flax and hemp has been ascertained to be as follows: 
New Zealand flax 23i ; common hemp 16i ; and common flax 11|. 
The relative strength of Silk itself is expressed by the No. 24. The na¬ 
tives of New Zealand obtain the foliaceous fibres from the green leaves of 
the Flax liily by simple scraping only, with muscle-shells and their nails; 
yet this simple process obtains fibres both stronger and handsomer than 
any-more complicated process devised by the Europeans. 
Since 1827 severaL English mechanics have spent much capital and 
power in attempts to make use of this plant; but it is said they did not 
succeed in ridding it of the resinous matter it distills so as to soften it 
enough for easy weaving. But it is now asserted by the French papers, 
that a'Monsieur Leonard has just regulated and brought to perfection the 
attempts heretofore stationary among the English. He has established at 
Port liemy a large manufactory of the Phormium tenax, which then em¬ 
ployed more than one thousand workmen, and it was anticipated that be¬ 
fore many months the number of workmen would be necessarily increased 
to 300 persons. 
Before being brought to a weaving state, this plant goes through seven 
operations, Aghich are so little costly, that all included, even to the comb¬ 
ings doeS' not amount to six francs the quintal, (i. e. i^l 20 per 100 lbs.) 
It is‘reasonably contended that this plant will be to France more impor¬ 
tant for manufactures than cotton is to England. Without entering into 
further details, the subscriber wishes to attract public attention that the 
Phormium lenax can be profitably propagated on the worst soils of Florida 
and of all our Southern States. 
There are five species of Yucca indigenous to the worst soils of our 
Southern States from the Potomac to the Mississipjd; and there are two 
species'of Yucca now acclimated in several Northern States. The botan¬ 
ical names of the five Southern species, are Yucca filamentosa, Y. glori- 
osa, Y; aloifolia, Y. angustifolia, and Y. recuroifolia. The common names 
and' synonymes for the Y. filamentosa, are, Bears-grass, Silk-grass, Eves- 
thread, and Everlasting. The very filaments on the margins of its leaves 
are nature’s signs of the fibrous treasure within them. As these leaves 
are thin and flexible, they are used entire for straps and strings, and when 
twisted and tied together they serve for ropes and even cables of small 
bbatsT Elliot, in his Botany of South Carolina, says : ‘‘ It appears to pos- 
sessThe strongest fibres of a’ny vegetable whatever, and if it can be raised 
with facility may form a valuable article in domestic economy.” The 
leaves of the Y. gloriosa are stoutest and fl8.shier, and abound in strong 
fibres; indeed, it is a dwarf representation of one species of the Sisal Hemp 
plant. The Y. aloifolia differs principally in the margins of the leaves be¬ 
ing rough or sawed, while the edges of the leaves of the Gloriosa are 
smooth.° Both however have a thorn at the point of their leaves; and 
both are frequently known under the common names of « Adam’s needle, 
Spanish bayonet, Petre^ and Palmetto. 
In the report No. 454 of the Committee on Agriculture, in April, 1832, 
at page 11, is an account, by Judge H. Bi'eckenridge, of Pensacola, of a 
fibrous-leaved plant resembling the Bouquet Palmetto, said to be the same 
as-the- Pita cultivated in Campeachy. He says “ it grows in great abun- 
