The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1894-05-05

transportation, no frosts, floods or
droughts, more intelligent and cheap
er labor. The improved decorticating
machines referred to have capacity
of 60, 600 green leaves per day, which
represents an average fibre product of
about two tons. They cost about $500
to $4,000 each, and in all probability
our company will put in three or four
of them-at any rate that number of
the best machines made at the time
when we shall need thcm-not earlier
than 1897. If the conditions warrant
it at that time we shall he prepared to
handle the leaves of any other planta.
tions which may have been developed
in the interim. Some of the more
sanguine in our syndicate look for
profit OF 5000 per acre at the outset"
In experiments by Mr.. Parsons with
five different lots of sisal leaves it was
noticed that the average weight per
leaf in the first four lots was only abon,
one and a-half pounds, the highest
percentage of fibre yield being only
LOS. These leaves were from two to
three weeks old when treated in the
machine, and had, of course, lost con.
siderable in weight
LEAVES WEIGHING THREE POUNDS.
On the east coast one frequently en-.
counters sisal leaves weighing from
two to two and a-half pounds when
cut, and few days ago George w.
Gill, of Washington, ID. c., cut one al
random in garden at Titusville which
Il
weighed three pounds, The most
striking features Of tho Florida plant
are the enormous size and weight Of
the leaves and their immense Weld
Of fibre.
There is annually imported into the
United States over 100000 worth
of all kinds OF fibres, of which 81, 900. D
900 or $4,000, 600 worth is leaf fibres.
These latter figures represent probably
about 90 900 tons of leaf fibres i'm
ported, every pound of which could
easily be produced here in Florida and
I've sold Mt big profit by the growers.
The indications are also that during
the national administration succeeding
the present one protective duty will
be placed upon sisal hemp, thus giving
American growers an opportunity to
develop their industry.
ENGLISH CAPITAL IN sIsAb.
English capital proverbially quick
to discover and improve every oppor-
tunity for profitable investment, and
in this connection it is very signi.
fcant fact that the Right Hon. Joseph
Chamberlin, of England, has in recent
years purchased and placed under sue.
cessful cultivation in sisal hemp owe,
5000 acres of land in the Bahamas
most OF it upon the Island of Andros.
the largest OF the group, and he and
his sons are now preparing to take up
and cultivate 5000 acres more.
The Florida east coast is superior
to any portion OF the Bahamas for the
cultivation of sisal hemp, and its trans
portation and other marketing facilit,
les far Superior to those of the col
onists. The prediction of your cor.
respondent is, therefore, that within
the next fifteen years we will see
Florida supplying not only the United
States with all it's sisal hemp mt n con-
siderably increased annual consump-
tion, but also exporting the product
to foreign countries.
Mr.. Parsons says that there is a
strong probability that, after the sue
cess oI growing and marketing hemp
upon the east coast shall have been
demonstrated, his company will erect
and operate one or more cordare
factories on the Indian river, where
the product of the sisal plantations
Will be worked up into twiucs, ropes
and bagging of commerce. This will
make great saving in transportation
charges, just as the manufacture of
cotton fabrics near tho plantations in
the South is destined to cheaper this
class OF goods and 10 make this section
q strong competitor of the New Eue-
land and Middle States