Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-04-05

u Dr1of dlst0ty o. the tWO species
10 common in this country. that of
rlsiaentsss, (Bsar-grass) and Alce6o)is
spanish dsggsr), With the stility u
IL cultivation.
It IL Q native Of India, described ~
Roylas In his work on "Fibrous Plants
Of India page 81, Published in London
IN 1855, also "Squirs's Tropical Eibop,
their Production and Economic Lxtrac-
tion,' page 81, and Ia now found grow-
ing IN oil the Southern States and Mex
leo IL y large spsar-leaved growth,
dark evergreen, the blades or leaves
from half inch 10 two inches broad.
generally about fourteen inchss long.
and by cultivation can b. grown 10 Ok
feet in length, and contains very val
usble fiber, for the purpose Of uaking
ropes, bsgging, mating and oil specie.
Of cosrss cloths. The fiber can 10 reed-
lily obtained by means Of machinery
constructed BY the undersigned, by
means Of which tho green leaves srp
thoroughly mashed and then pssScd
through 9 process Of washing which
removes all sxtrapeous substances.
leaving the 6beY 40 white IS Irish lipou
and ready for market Tho waite BY
cleaning IL less than 0ne.tenth.
solL voR YUCCA.
The plant thrives best in rich soils.
growing to a creator length and strong
pr fiber but cOxrsSr, and in sandy and
poor clay soil, grows shorter and OF q
finer quality, and il known to grow On
the highest "piney woods hill, and In
the lowest bottom lands. The Cocoa or
Wiro Grass has no effect whatever or.
it's growth, neither is it affected BY
overflow. Anywhere south Of thifly-
one degrees, after the first years plant
ing, 1t will produce two crops per year.
aud yield from fifteen 10 twenty-five
hundred pounds uaTlstsble fiber per
acre at each crop.
How pLaHTxD AE0 s9prAoArxD.
The Yucca Ia propagsted by planting
the roots or seed any time in tho fall,
winter or spring. The Yucca Aloefolia
also may b. pr0psgsted by planting the
stalk, cut in pieces, and planted like
Irish Potatoes. The Yucca Filamentosa
has u dubious root, resembling u Sweet
Potato, and may be planted similarly.
and needs no rs-planting for one hun
dred years. There are patches Of the
Yucca now growing in Louisiana and
mississippi, in the woods and briers,
VI here the sun has not shone on them
probably for sixty years, and there are
others growing on lawns, known to have
been planted more than one hundred
years ago, Tho older it gets the thicker
and more thrifty the growth. 1t is not
only an evrgreen, but grows the entire
year needs no enclosure and il without
enemies.
How HARVESTED AND pREpARED5 Pors
The green leaves are stripped from the
stalk, either by hand or by means Of Il
spud, then run though the Yucca Clean
or, green, or as they are stripped, then
the fiber is ready for baling and market.
HOW ONE MAX CAN cULTivATs vIFry
ACRES.
A man with mule can plsnt and cpl-
tivate twenty acres in drills similar to
sugar cane, from the lat of September to
tho LIST Of January, and from the LIST Of
January to the lst of May he can plant
and cultivate twenty acres more. and
during the months ofMay and June, ten
acres more. The experience Of the wri-
ter, is that II will require but slight or
no cultivation after the first year, whom
planted asa farm product. The clean
or marketable Gber and materials man
ufactured therefrom were never known
to be introduced into commerce, until
it was introduced by the writer Of this
article in 1873.
Estimate OF expense Of running A.
small-sized queen machine per day:
Wear and tear Of the machinery
LOT one dry .-...........-...... So 90
One hand Oh engineer. - 9 90
One hand, horse and cart to haul
yucca bladrs. .-...... 25D
Two boys to tend machine, so cts.
sacn ! "
One boy to rake the fibre On tbs
drying table. -............ 50
One boy to press. =. ... 10
Board for six hands per day. ..... 3 90
Total. $l2 on {
The above calculation ii full, and ey-
Oh at the present very low prices for all
libers, the Commissioner says the yucca
and sisal fiber is worth n cents Der H..
the above sized machine will clean one
thousand pounds per day, which would
make per day .S77 20
Oeduct'ng expenseAper day l2 50