, 1890-10-01

ItduS mentioned, VIII snow up tullN, con-
hrmfng at once without going any further
the truth of the leafs r~ipene$S. 1he above
description Of the length and riprueSS OF
the leaf does not imply that it contained
no fibre before this time, quite the opp0,
site, it had all the time, and were Il fibre
of short length marketable, could have
been started upon twelve or fifteen months
after planting, by, Of course, cutting those
leaves which are really ripe. From ITS III.
taiFY the leaves are continually falling
down aud dropping off, giving place Ia
the new ones which grow ont.
The knife for cutting the leaves from the
tree must be ofa half round form in the shape
of q Scythe or grass knife, but of less dia.
meter, therefOreSmaller with a short hollow
handle to admit of u wooden one, Of good
length. necessary to reach tn the trunk of
the plant ;anl appreciated for its lightueSs;
tue Knife deserves to be Of good steel and
kept sharp to give Il clean cut aud facili-
tate the cutter.
10 cut the leaf in the proper manner the
cutter must put himself in such a position
an to face the leaf from the side, the last or
bottom leaf ought to be eur flst 30 as to
prevent any injury to the fibre from The
knife slipping and cutting INTO the next
leaf, which would be the case if the top
ones were cut first. The knife must he
started on the leaf from one side or edge
and drawn across, and it win be found to
come OF freely and nicely. The greatest
caution must be observed to cut the leaf
as close az possible to tile trunk of the
tree neglecting this important duty will
end i'll losses; first, the leaf hot cut closely
would lose a small quantity of fibre; that
arrives TO a good dea! in MARY thousands;
second, If the stump of the leaf where dis
united by any length from the trunk it
Injuries seriously the tree, SpOils it's vigor
ami makes it's existence IA short one.
Immediately after tile Irat is ctl and be-
tore taken away, the ~pricklrS ON both
edges also the sharp point at tile end must
be trimmed off, Which caIi he done with a
small cntlass or large butcher knife but so
carefully aS not TO t~rcSpaSS on the limits of
the valuable leaf, bRr ely taking them off.
This operation is very necessary tor the
easy manipulation OF the leaves in the
field and at the machine. The leaves must
now be made DIP in buudIts-nead and tail
Rlternately-Of so OF 100, aS The CtlItivatnr
may thluk fit; this in necessary to count
easily ana rapily on receiving from cutters
and del1verln to operators ut the machine
All at whom are paid by tile thousand /; the
bundle OF 90 is, thing, more suitable, be-
ing 0tlesS weight; and therightone of abOut
70 lbs, rendering it handy as Nell as giving
ease TO the cutters arttnen aud others,
more so the first OF these who have to car
~ 1t from the rows where cut to the in.
terval.
A dray on good road carries 800 leaves
at once to the works. Care must be taken
t" inspect the cutting or the cutter may, to
suit himself, cut down green as well as ripe
leaves to avoid too mich trouble and make
a large profit iii IA short time:
| must at once take The opportunity Of
advising my readers as to their close APP
p~'ication DOW. This is the time when if
the plant in neglected and the leaves not
cut it sends out the pole, the appearance
OF which, as you are already aware, seals
IT'S doom to the sad loss of the cHltivatOr
who after he is sensible of its value, will in
no way relish it. Here begins the con-
slant work which is justly SO since there is
no ~stoppage as crop goes on from one
years end TO another. The proof Of this is
that a field or plantation started upon cut
ting at one end will, before the other end
is reached, be ready to start over again,
and this, too, whether rainy or dry weather;
great attention is required so as not to
lose the leaves after cutting nor the fla.
ment after extraction. At this time there
onght to be a very large number of young
shoots around the plants which ay be
taken away tO, supply other fields.
CHAPTER VII: