Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-07-21

The roots of the slsal plant feed
near the surface. and do not descend
to any great depth, in hard clay
rarely over ~ inches, and in loose,
rocky soil seldom over Is inches.
When given sufficient room the roots
will generally spread out over an
area equal to the area covered by the
mature leaves.
When the plants have become firmly
established in the field, the main stalk
throws out underground runners or rhi.
zones. The point OF such runner
reaches the surface beginning with the
second year, and forms a bulb. This
! bulb - known as the sucker or shoot.
| This sucker takes root and obtains
nourishment through the runner from
the old plant, and also through its own
roots. New suckers continue to ap.
pear during the life of the plant. After
the third year the lower leaves. to
IL feet long, assume horizontal pc.
sition and show yellowish spots. These
are called mature" leaves. AS the
plant grows older more leaves mature.
which, however. are longer and wider.
attaining at the age of 5 to I years a
length Of from 4 TO 6 feet. After a
vigorous growth of about 6 years. which
may be extended to or even years,
after planting. a central stalk or pole"
grows up rapidly. This pole is to 8
inches in diameter at the base. tapers
upward. and attains a height OF 80 feet.
q a.. tph taI fnl az a IN
replaced by 1000 to 5000 bulbs. These
bulbs grow to be about inches. They
finally fall to the ground and thus re.
produce the plant. When this has
been accomplished the leaves OF the
plant have become brown and leathery
and the whole mass dies and forms
considerable debris. Suckers attach.
ed to the plant at this time will throw
out central stalk one inch thick, and
from to feet high. Some bear
! flowers and bulbs; others bear only
bulbs. which are usually smaller than
those of the mother plant.
The slsal plant will grow in tropical
or sub.tropical countries In any well.
drained soil anywhere from sea level to
frost line. When planted on rich soil
and given some care. the plants grow
rapidly. attain a large size and throw
up poles when or years old.
Soil for Rapid Growth.
Plants which grow rapidly. e..
those planted on rich moist soils,
produce larger leaves. containing n
larger percentage Of water and a small.
er percentage of fiber than plants
which grow more slowly on compare
lively dry and sterile soils. However,
even though in such cases the percent.
age OF fiber in the leaf Is less. the
greater size attained by the leaves en-
nbles the planter to secure more fiber
per acre on comparatively rich moist
soils than on arid ones.
Rotate Crops.
Continuous planting OF sisal on the
same field exhausts the available plant
food. On such soil the plant makes
slower growth and requires a longer
period TO reach maturity. II
does not pay to plant sisal on the same
land for an indefinite period Neither
10 IL commercially profitable to choose
for a plantation land which is too dry
OF too sterile.
The plant feeds most heavily on lime,
magnesia. potash, and phosphoric
acid. This will be at once apparent
upon an examination OF the following
table, which gives respectively the
composition of the ash OF the whole
leaf and of the fiber: