The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-08-02
HAMMOCKS.
MAKING SUMMER CoUCHES Is n
YUCATAN INDUSTRY. H
Cu1tivating the Sisal Hemp on Plan
tations-How the Fibre Is, Pre-
pared for Market-Pret-
ty Girls at Work.

1CoIh oouCGAiIiS 1hoA
6 history previous to their ar
rival in the United States. To begin
with just imagine yourself in very
large field, in the famous peninsula Of
Yucatan, under scorching midday
sum-, and not tree anywhere near.
This field and several adjacent ones
are planted with s'agave silalensis," an
evergreen succulent plant Indigenous
to Yucatsn. It grows well in stony
soil and requires little care. The
dark brown natives, perspiring in tho
intense heat, are removing the young
shoots which grow out from the roots
of the mature plant. These shoots,
which they call ''sons," have been
left to gather strength from the parent
plant during one year; now they ara
to be transplanted elsewhere ten or
twelve feet distant from each other.
This space Is necessary because when
mature the leaves are about five feet
long, and as they are tipped with .
very sharp point, the laborers must
have room to pass between them. AZ
ter three years. growth the leaves are
ready to be cut; the plant continues
to. yield flament for about twelve
years, after which it runs to seed and
the stems are utilized where they
stand by planting beans there, so that
the vines may twine about them. The
hemp plant is commonly called s'hene-
quen." Another familiar name for it
is "sisal hemp" because it used to b,s
shipped from the port of Sisal, which
was afterwards abandoned for Pro.
greso, from which place some 81, ,000,-
900 or Sc, 900, 900 worth of the fibre Ia
now exported every year, the greater
part being landed in New York.
In one field are found laborers re-
moving the young plants; in another,
trsnsplanting them; while in third
they are cutting mature leaves from
the stem and throwing them into
wheelbarrows. Their implement is the
machete, heavy steel blade nearly
eighteen inches long. The loaded bar
rows are wheeled to another part of
the plantation, where there is q largo
building, in which, with machinery
moved by steam power, the filamert is
separated from the green part of the
leaf. This is thrown out to serve as
fodder as cattle, and they thrive on it.
It also helps to enrich the SOIL but,
while rotting it burdens the air with g
most unpleasant odor. - 5to
In the last few years the machinery
used for henequen has been improved
upon and it's dangers somewhat obvia-
ted. Accidents are therefore less
frequent than formerly, but even yet Q
workman's hand OF arm is occasionally
torn off by being caught in the machine
while feeding it with the leaves, The
natives have their own primitive ways
Of extracting the flament. They uso
a scraper of very hard wood, a foot
long and four inches wide. One end
is carved to form handle; the other,
thin and sharp, is scooped out in the
form of crescent. There is grove
in the leaf.A This is placed ON round
stick, which is held obliquely. With
the scraper the leaf is then split length
wise in two or three parts, each being,
squeezed between stick and scraper.
Another method is to place the leaf On.
fiat board and scrape it with two
handled wooden knife. Working thus.
the most diligent man can obtain only
twenty-five pounds of filament in day.
When these methods are employed the
work is begun at midnight and aban-
doned at sunrise, because the plant
contains an acrid principle that, with
the heat Of the day, blisters the skin,
After the squeezing process the fila
ment is spread on trestles out in tho
sun to dry and bleach. 1t is them
made up in bales of 800 or 400 pounds,
ready for export or for the home mar
ket, to be converted into hammocks,
bags and cordage. These are most
important industries. Twenty years
ago comparatively few hammocks were
made for expectation, but they were,
as they are yet, the only couch used
throughout Yucatan., Beds are con-
sidered uncomfortable. The hammocks
used there cost from 50 to $50 each.
Then came the demand for cheap ham
mocks abroad, and the pretty girls and
buxom matrons were set to making
something very much coarser than tha
work they were accustomed to---ham-
mocks't that they themselves would not
have deigned to rest in-worth fifty
or sixty cents when finished. An ex-
pert can make three or four OF these
hammocks day, and receives about
twelve cents for each. The article is
sold ip New York for 81 or a little
more. Formerly all the twine was
made by hand; now this is only done
occasionally. Men and boys twist it
rapidly. Colored hammocks are made
by. combining red, blue and yellow
twine, the dyes being obtained from
the native woods.
If hammock were made in Yucca
tan it is probably the work of pretty
meztiza (half-breed) girl. Barefooted,
but. in flowing white cotton garments.
and with her black hair smooth and
glossy as a ravens wing, she stood
netting the hammock on an upright
wooden frame. In the hut or out
house where she worked were three or
four other members of the family,
each with their frame and hammock
in course of construction. The work
ers we're cheerful, gentle and content
ed, for they were earning their bread
and making the best of everything,
always looking at the bright side Of
1;fA annh 10 thair hannx disnositinn