, 1875-10-30

extracting fibre from the Agave plant. In reply
/ must tell you that I am not using any process
at present. as l am only cultivating the plant.
but as soon as | have a good supply matured I
intend to use a very simple and efficient machine
that l saw used tor the purpose in Bermuda some
years back. 1t is known as Sanford q Mallory's
fax dressing machine, and was manufactured by
Messrs. X. Il, Allen & Co., Agricultural imple-
ment makers, of New York, who purchased the
patent from the inventors There are three sizes
made, the advantage of the larger size being that
it will clear out a longer and stouter leaf and q
larger quantity of fibre per day, but requires
greater driving power. The one l saw would
only dress out efectually a leaf 6 feet long and
requires a 2 horse lnominaD engine to drive it.
1t cost in New York, in 1864, when gold was at
81 olo, $459.2l currency, without a steam engine.
1 was certainly astonished at the efectual and
rapid manner in which a beautiful material was
turned out, say 500Tb of clean fibre per day, with
the aid of man and 2 boys. Nothing better
could be required for the purpose. So much for
the Machinery. Now as to the Plant There
are several species of the Agave plant, which
diff + from each other in quantity and quality OF
fibre they contain, for instance. the Agave Pisi-
lana yields about 3 oIo of strong fibre, like the best
quality of Manila, while other qualities, such as
seem indigenous with you and in the whole of the
Bahama group, if not throughout the West Indies,
do not vi Ii more than | oo and not such strong
fibre. Altho' as it is of a finer quality, it may be
more valuable am collecting all the seeds that
can get, and VIII soon have a tract f 6.0* acres
planted, but it will take some time yet before I
can make 4 shipment of fibre.
I enclose a rough estimate, which shows a good
margin of profit, basing my calculations on the
wages paid here, md some experiments made by
myself. The great advantage of growing this
plant is that it is not affected by the severest
drought and grows luKuriantly on tue poorest soil,
and it seems to me that it must become the staple
produce Of such West India Islands as are situat-
ed in q dry zone and have not much fertility of
soil, such as the Bahama group and some of the
Virgin Islands.
I send you a few seeds and a leaf Of the Agavs
Pisilana, by which you will sec that this species
differs from that growing at the Careening Hole
and at Water Island, although there may be some
of this kind growing in other parts of your island.
We have another kind. Of which | also send you Z
specimen, called Pita plant, which yields fully as
we'll as the Agavo Pisilana@ While | would
, strongly urge your government to spare no pains
in Introducing these two. specimens, the Agave,
Pisilana and the Pita plant, feel sure that q gocd
thing nigh be made by extracting tho fibre from
the kind now growing go plentiful with y2u,
The cost of the machinery would be q small item
and tho uso of q small engine might be obtainsd
ut little cost until the experiment was fully tested.
l am glad That you have taken this matter in
hand, AM if you will only perseyere you will sure
ly succeed in awakening an interest in the matter
at St. Thomas. 1t was entirely owing to my agi-
tstion of the subject that the attention of the
Government Of jamaica was called TO the matter.
The great trouble is that it takes Dor A years to
bring the crop to maturity, and few people have
the patience to plant anything that they have to
wait so long for, but | feel persuaded that if you
can induce the Government to import such q ma.
chine as | described and place it in the hands Of
some intelligent person to experiment with on the
Agave now growing SO plentiful with you, thatit
would pay handsomely; but even if it did not
bring in a large return it would give such a result
as would encourage your planters to cultivate the
Agave Pisilana and Pita plant"
The following is the estimate which our Ger
respondent refers to =
"EsTIMkTE.
"Agave Pisilana should be planted in rows 8
feet apart each way. which gives 6sl plants to the
acre; at d lbs. of clean fibre annually for each
plant would give 1904 lbs. "a SA0 per
IA D
COsr. -
is men to cut leaves at 75c.. .~.".....-S III 20
6 mules and drivers carrying leaves q on
60 mill about 90 tons at 81 SO
Cost of raw material at mill. ...........S 90 %
Extracting fibre, labour. coal &o......~ IS 90
Drying and bailing bre...-.-----... 8 90
~ 81 or