The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-10-29
THE PLANTAIN AND BANANA.
NO. X.
(CoNCLUDED.)

The difference thau eAstS "T0"oeH
+bo fhres of the species OF plantaln
ennears to be attributable to the fact
hat some fibers of wild plants, and
esnecallv those Of the banana, are
more or less modified by cultivation.
The abaca is found in the volcanic
Islands OF the Philippines, and in the
neighboring archipelago; still it is
principally in the pueblos OF Donsoli
Sorsogon, Tabaco, CAMEL, Quipa,
that the cultivation is carried on, and
from whence the best material is OBJ
tanned. The only difference between
the abaca and other species OF the
Hasa genus is the rich dark-green
hue that pervaded every part OF the
former, The abaca has very little
care bestowed on its cultivation, being
grown only for its stalks, and it is an
advantage rather than otherwise that
its fibers should retain their natural
coarseness and tenacity. Nor does
it reonire SO rich a soil as the edible
variety; it is usually planted on the
slopes of mountains where the land
has been newly broken up. The
ground is carefully and frequently
cleared OF all obnoxious weeds during
the growth of the young plant, and
the stalk is cut when the fruits first
make their appearance. At The end
of the first crop, they have, monthly,
good suckers springirg up, and that,
too, during the whole time that the
plantation lasts, which is from FIVE
to seven years. The duration of
course varies with the nature OF the
soil, the fertilizing properties of which
this crop exhaust very rapidly, espec-
ially as no manure is applied. The
textile material is obtained in the fol-
lowing manner: The stems are cut
down and stripped of their leaves.
1t is next divided into long strips of
two fingers in breadth, then passed
between thick plank, placed in a
horizontal position, with knife rest
ing edgewise. The material is then
drawn through with one hand, whilst
the other presses heavily on the back
of the knife, and in this manner the
pulpy matter is scraped and cleared
off, leaving the textile fibres bare.
These are put to dry in the sun. care
being taken to protect them from
rain and moisture. They are then
beaten lightly with sticks, again ex-
nosed TO The sun, and lastly the fila.
ments are separated according to
their degree Of fineness. In this
manner three sorts of fibre, OF vary
ing quality, are obtained: the first,
called bandalo, from the outer
sheaths of the stem, which is the
strongest and coarsest, and from
which ropes, etc, are made. The
second, known by the name OF APPS,
which is the finest, is procured from
the inner layers; whilst the third,
the tapoz, comes from the intermedi-
ate LAYERS of the tissue, and from this
last fabrics and gauzes are manutac-
tured. Two men employed at this
work, one in separating the outer
coats, the otter using the knife, can
prepare from twenty-tour to twenty
six pounds avoirdupois day. Fifty
feet of land covered with plantain
trees will furnish from twenty-tour
to twenty-six pounds OF abaca fibre
or 143 TO las pounds to every two
and one-half acres. 1t is cut at least
ten times a wear, which gives mean
return OF l,760 pounds OF bruised
abaca, worth from 81. to 1Ol If the
process be properly conducted, at
least one pound Of thread, or, taking
the produce OF two and one-tourth
acres tor whole year, 1920 pounds
of abaca will be obtained, worth at
Manila about 2Og. The abaca III
tended for weaving is bruised in a
mortar, and thus reduced into a kind
of ball about the size OF a chlld's
head. This operation has the effect
OF rendering the threads more flexible
and resistant. These threads, having
been Joined together by women or
children, are woven after the manner
OF cotton, and the texture is immersed
in water with little she'll lime for a
dav and night. Afterwards they
are cleaned in fresh water and left to
dry. Ii mixed with silk or cotton, a
beautitl texture is produced,e very
fine aud valuable, and applicable to a
variety OF purposes.
Roping ard cordage made from
abaca are employed in the merchan-
tile marine OF India, and in the navy
OF the United States, and are well
known under the name of white rope
or Manila rope.