The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-12-03
A new INDUSTRY
Possibility Of Growing Sisal Hemp
in The Islands.
Is PRODUCED IN THE BAHAMAS
In Yucatan Also-LocaI Cor editions
Thought to Be Most
Favorable.
IS PRODUCED IN THE BAHAMAS

The attention of agriculturists has
of late years been directed toward
the growing of sisal hemp. A writer
who has investigated it's cultivation
in the Bahamas, and has studied the
local conditions, has furnished the fol-
lowing information on the subject:
Throughout Hawaii, and in almost
every garden plat can be seen grow
ing in thrifty condition one or more
good fibre producing plants. By many,
these plants are looked upon as mere
curiosities, Or fit only for hedges.
Some of the plants growing here,
can, by economical management, be
grown extensively. and put in condition
to make them very valuable market
able commodity. The most important
among these, and the one to which
we would call especial attention, is
the sisal plant. AS a textile fibre, the
sisal is. perhaps, now the most valua-
BILE, and the most generally used of
any other.
Strange to say, not until few years
ago, was there interest enough taken
in the sisal to learn that it was of
great commercial value, when Sir Am
brose Shea, Governor of the Bahamas,
after considerable effort, induced cap
italists to invest in sisal growing in
those islands. The result of their ex-
perience was such as to revolutionize
the whole country. In 1891, there were
but 1000 acres of land in the Bahamas.
planted to sisal In 1895, there were
over $4,000 acres planted in that coun-
try, besides, over 100000 acres were
bought in large lots by several different
companies for the purpose of growing
sisal The land, which had been con-
sidered worthless up till that time was
being purchased so fast that the BAHIA
malan Government raised the price
from $1.25 per acre to 81 and finally
refused to sell any more crown lands
in large tracts. Large tracts were then
purchased from private parties for as
high as $12 per acre. The amount of
wealth brought into that country from
the sisal industry seems fabulous.
Besides the West Indies, there are
parts of Central America, and the
United States where this industry is
now being successfully carried on.
Yucatan has been made prosperous
state by this same industry, having
exported into the United States in a
single year $5,0OO,0OO worth Florida is
also coming fast to the front as a
fibre producing state.
This sudden rise of a new industry,
paying such enormous profit, did not
long continue without the serious re-
suits which usually follow In the rush
for share of this paying business,
men grew careless in their invest
ments; high prices were paid for land
and labor; little attention paid to To-
cation, etc.; so that many who invested
met with serious loss of capital. How
ever, while the price of sisal fibre had
steadily fallen for several years pre-
vious to the year 1896, the cheapness of
it has been the cause Of it's being used
for many purposes other than rope
making, so that now, there is a steady
demand that holds the price sufficient
ly high to warrant an active produc-
ton of it on any economical plan.
The machinery used for extracting
fibre, and preparing it for market is
now being more scientifically con-
structed, rendering the preparation of
the fibre but a comparatively small
part of the labor. Thus it may be seen
~ IL khn <f
low, it does not necessarily prevent its
being profitably raised and marketed.
The writer believes that the fibre
business can be carried on in the Ha-
waiian Islands with equally as good,
if not better results, than can be had
in many other parts of the world, the
conditions here being superior in some
of the principal points.
Our climate, first to be considered.
is unquestionable, the mean temper
allure as well as the daily maximum
and minimum thermometers CORE
spending with that of the Bahamas.
| The Islands are also in the same latl-
tude.
| It is we'll known that there is an
| immense area of arid lands in Hawaii,
that is at present comparatively worth
less. These lands could be made to
yield a handsome income from this
| industry.
| Limestone or coral formation, con-
tanning very little soil, and of which
/ we have a very large acreage on Oahu
is spoken of as being especially favor
able for the growth of sisal Nothing
this. the writer examined small
patch of FIVE acres planted on a coral
bed about two miles from Eva mill
found it to be growing thrifty and
coming fully up to the required meas.
urement for it's age, although it had
been twice transplanted, which would
certainly have tended to retard Its
growth The plants, on the hard, rocky
places, were as large as those favored
with some soil All the plants were
of equal height.
| The following is taken from report
made by D. Morris, Assistant Director
of the Royal Gardens of Kew, England
1.-THE land, suited for the cultivation
of sisal hemp, is entirely different from
that required for MANILA hemp. The
best fibre districts in Yucatan possess
an arid climate, with gravelly, stony