The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-10-17

lions favorable to its growth with a view
of encouraging the cultivation of the fibre
plant at home. Several large fibre plan
tations were established and some of
them are yet being operated, but the
frost, which a few years ago passed over
the usual boundaries and invaded Florida,
discouraged most of the planters who
have since embarked in the business on
a large scale in Lower California, which
climate they consider less treacherous.
The new district promises much for the
future but in all probability the manu-
facturers will patronize foreign growers
for many years yet to come.
The new office. which was created for
fibre investigation, seems to have done
more for the industry through the en-
couragement given to inventors. Ameri-
can genius has since that time solved
the machinery problem. having brought
it to such state of perfection as to
command universal patronage, and having
made the question of decorticating ma
chinery no longer an obstacle as hereto
fore. Since modern invention has made
it possible to readily extract the fibre
from the leaf, sisal has found its way
into many channels Of trade other than
the making of large rope. OF those new
demands the largest Is for Irvine used in
the self-binding harvester. Formerly the
old reaper was followed by from four to
six men, who tied the sheaves of grain
with small punches Of the grain straw.
The enormous crops Of small grain pro-
duced in the United States are now tied
with Irvine made of sisal. One factory,
the Deering Harvester Works of Chicago,
manufactures ..irty thousand miles of
this Irvine in a single day, besides the
immense output of other factories of like
kind. Paper making is on the increase,
cotton wood furnishing the main body of
the pulp, but the paper from this pulp is
made strong enough for general use only
when portion of sisal or other fibre Is
worked in with it,
On reviewing the history of this plant
and the important place it has taken in
the commercial world, one cannot but
conclude that t..ere are great possbhi-
ties for its successful culture in the new
tropical possessions. A large contribu-
ton to the twenty million dollars worth
of fibre annually imported to the main
land is only awaiting intelligent effort in
that direction on the part of the energet-
| ic men of this territory.
The Islands of Hawaii lie in about the
| same latitude as do the best fibre dis
, tricts of the West Indies, and are enough
alike in general character as to leave little
doubt of the conditions here being all
that is required for its production. In
| fact. anywhere below the frost line the
matter or climate has little erect on ltS
growth, but dry hot weather evidently
produces fibre Of somewhat better
quality.
The sisal industry here has now reach
ed that stage Of development where to
| label 1t "a success Is no longer an en-
barrassment to its promoters, and though
| II Is yet limited to a few hundred acres
on the island Of Oahu, its general distri-
button In an experimental way has been
such as to reach all kinds OF soil and not
In single instance has 1t failed when
properly treated. The result OF these ex-
periments together with the prices paid
for fibre during the past four years Ia
certainly sufficient To warrant the asser-
ton that sisal will pay a handsome proht
to its cultivators, provided the average
judgment Is exercised during It's develop
ment which II at least three years from
the time Of planting, Nothing seems h
discourage a venture into the sisal indus
! try so much as this long walt for the
' first crop and especially when II In under
stood las II sometimes Isl that the next
crop also requires three years, But there
Is no reason for anything but a hopeful
view when II Is known that II viii yieit
one IL. nellmes two) crops year fol
from hye a. seven years al which TIM
II dies but not until u has sent up a pol,
bearing from two 10 three thousand iittl'
bulbs which when set out IN rows an'
vatered, will In shor, time make idea