Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-03-29
WHY IS IT?
An Industry Which Nature Has Provided,
 Languishes et Our Doors.


 The Agave Americana or American Aloe, in every country, barring the United States, is valuable plant, and Is cultivated extensively for its fibre. Arizona, and a small portion of Cal ifornia, New Mexico and Texas, abound in this plant, which grows in a wild state 10 perfection in our climate. The Central American states produce d quantity of fibre which is imported to the United States duty free in large quantities where 1t is manufac- tured into rope, where were it man. ufactured in the country where it is grown, duty of fifteen per cent ad- valorum would be exacted at the GUS tom house through which it entered into the United States. To give bet ter idea of its great value as plant in other countries, less favored by nature in it's growth and productive ness than Arizona, we republish from the columns of the Scientific Ameri- can of last week, letter written by j. F. Coonley, from Nassau, New Prov idence, one of the Bahama Islands. He says:
 send you a photograph of the visal plant which is now creating a sensation in this region, for the reason of its being in great demand for the manufacture of cordage and rope of fine quality. It is said to be su- perior to that grown in Yucatan, and equal to the best manila. The En- glish government pays royalty on every pound raised in this colony to encourage its production on an ex- tensive scale, and almost everyone is either embarking in the enterprise or is already in it. Many strangers from the United States are trying their hand at it and more are coming in by every steamer. Machinery for separ- ating the fibre from the pulp, has been put in operation and run by steam, facilitating the preparation greatly. In the beginning it was beaten by hand, making it slow and expensive way of preparing it. In year or two things will be booming all through this land of the cOcoanut and pine apple, and the natives will leave the wrecking business to cultivate the sisal plant which will pay them bet ter.
 The photograph shows the plant as side leaves for use, also the plant gone to seed,
 am told by Captain Lightburn, on whose plantation these pictures were made, that the seedlings on this tree or stalk are worth ZIP or $48 Ameri- can currency. Every one is talking oI the bright prospects for the near flu ture in store for the people of these islands, as soon as sufficient area has been brought under cultivation. This is being done as fast as circumstances will admit.
 The plant is native here, and has
 grown wild for ages probably, its worth being unknown till recently They used to try and kill it as { worthless weed. After it once gets $ fair start it requires no more attention and will yield its product for from ten to fifteen years, then new plants have to be planted as the old ones die out The planter that has few hundred acres under cultivation, can gather tht , leaves turn them into cash, collect hi royalty from the government. anC be as happy as a liberal income, su , perb climate, and other favorable sur , roundings can make him.
 To give an idea of the magnitude , this industry is assuming, I will stat, , that gentleman, an Englishman, ar , rived here few weeks since, and ha bought S0000 acres of land on thre, f islands of this group, and propose , putting it all into the cultivation o , this plant. He pays $4 an acre, 9600
 down and the balance to remain a l interest. He wanted to pay for it al
 at once but the authorities here woul, , not receive it all, preferring to have i at interest.-Prospector.