, 1892-07-27

at a very small expense, or in large quantities
for LAYING the foundation of future fibre
farms. ~ " I"
British Honduras.--As might be expected
from the close contiguity of this colony to
Yucatan-the two countries being, in fact,
only separated from each other by the River
Hondo-plants Of the henequen, or Slsal
hemp, are fairly common in British Hondu-
ras. Some experimental plantations have
already been established in the northern parts
of the colony, in the nelghourh0od OF Corosal,
where the climate very closely resembles that
Of Yucatan. Quite recently Sir Alfred Moloney,
with that enterprising spirit which has al
ways Characterised him in dealing with the
resources of any colony with which be IS 9TH
cially connected. has forwarded to Kew specl-
mems of leaves of two sorts Of henequen and OF
the fibre locally prepared from them. The
specimens were labelled respectively Yaxci or
Henequen verde green henequen), and Saccl
(Sacqui) or Henequen blanco white hene-
quen.) Both sorts were apparently varieties
Of Aqaus rtqida and referable to what's known
at Kew as Agaue rigida, var. %eIongdtG. The
fibre prepared from these leaves arrived IN a
somewhat soiled and dampconditlon, owing to
the fact that it had been packed with the
green leaves, which had fegmented IN transit.
The report made on this fibre by Mes8rs. Ide
& Christie dated 18th December 1891, IS
nevertheless Of d satisfactory character.
1--WE have been favoured with your note of
the 18th instant with regard to the specimens
of honequen fibre from British Honduras. We
do not make much difference, commercially,
between the white and green sorts. Both are
very good style of fibre, quite OF the Ss1l
hemp character, and they would be readily
saleable to-day in London at $50 to FL per
ton. We think it should be possible TO pre-
pare them Of a better colour, and with TINS
accomplished, a somewhat higher price might
be obtainable. AS we have mentioned IN pre-
vious communications colour IS Of Importance
in all so-called white hemps." Although up
to the present only small lots OF Bahamas
Sisal have come to this market, the colour
and preparation have, as a rule, been excel
lent, and producers in British Honduras
should likewise give them every attention.
Trinidad-The following account Of the IN
PRODUCTION Of Sisal hemp plants to Trinidad IS
given in the Annual Report Of the ooperlnton.
dent of the Royal Botanic Garden, Trinidad
for the year 1911 IA.
''~Fibres.-Aqav8 rigtda var. slsaLdnd-Dur
ing the year we obtained from Messrs. Reasoner
Bros, Manatee, Florida, 10000 bulbils OF this
plant. and 1000 from another source. VI
this number ZOO have been been distributed
to various applicants. The remainder, de-
Quoting usual losses, are still at the gardens.
"One thousand plants requisitioned by To-
bago, and two thousand sent to the Convict
Depot are included in the above numbers.
THE plants arrived in splendid order IN
the form Of small bulbils, !. O., small plants
without roots. They were placed IN beds
CLOSE together for convenience Of culture; and
as soon as properly rooted we're trensplantsd
at a wider distance, where they have thrlyen
remarkably well. This is the plant which
lit would appear from all accounts Is now
being cultivated 50 largely in the Bahamas ana
from which such great expectations arse
Windward Islands. A good deal OF inter
est has been shown by the Go~srnor-ln-Chlet,
Sir Walter Hely- Hutchinson, in the introduc-
ton of plants Of Sisal hemp to the WlndWard
Islands.
At the Grenada botanical Station, the Gu
rator, in a Bulletin (No. 8, September 1891,
states that there are in cultivation about 2
acres of Sisal hemp. These were planted out
according to Stoddart' 8 method, viz, l. feet
between rows, and 10 feet in the rows, on q
rocky hill side facing the west, and there
fore fully exposed to the sun. For
the sake of experiment, to half of this
cultivation, light shade has been given
by planting a row Of corn between the rows
of Sisal hemp, and it isworthy of notice hat
the plants so shaded have MADE far greater
progress than those without shade. 1t wonld
- ALo.G.a @bo& ol+bo,cb ALL GiroI hamn