A report on the leaf fibers of the United States detailing results of recent investigations relating to Florida sisal hemp, the false sisal hemp plant of Florida, and other fiber-producing agaves; bowstring hemp, pineapple fiber, New Zealand flax, and bear-grass . e species are S. guineensis, S. zeylanica,and S. latifolia, the first namedbeing known as African bow-string hemp. S. zeylanica isthe best known, however, andis common on the Ceylon coast,from which it takes its plant has been known andprized in India from remoteantiquity under the name ofMurva. In the catalogue of In-dian f
A report on the leaf fibers of the United States detailing results of recent investigations relating to Florida sisal hemp, the false sisal hemp plant of Florida, and other fiber-producing agaves; bowstring hemp, pineapple fiber, New Zealand flax, and bear-grass . e species are S. guineensis, S. zeylanica,and S. latifolia, the first namedbeing known as African bow-string hemp. S. zeylanica isthe best known, however, andis common on the Ceylon coast,from which it takes its plant has been known andprized in India from remoteantiquity under the name ofMurva. In the catalogue of In-dian fibers (Exhibition 1862) itis called Moorga, Mazool, andMoorgavee, or Moorgahree. Itis at present known under the Fig. 11.—Cross-section of leaves of bowstring hemp. vernacular Ulllie of Muroavi Murga^ and Mazool. Its Sanskrit synonym is Goni. The genus Sansevieriaabounds on the coast of Guinea, around Ceylon, and along the Bayof Bengal, extending to Java and the coasts of China. They arestemless, perennial plants, throwing out runners, and having only rootleaves, which are thick and fleshy, and usually sword or lance shaped,with sheathing bases. They flower from January to May, and theplants grow wild in the jungles. They are easily propagated on most 52. 53 every soil from the slips which issue in great abundance from the roots,requiring little or no care, and not requiring to be renewed often, ifat all. Dr. Buchanan found this plant employed in the manufacture of cord-age at Bangalore, and bowstrings are still made of it in the Sircars andalong the coast of Bengal. In the interior of Bengal it is equally com-mon and wild, but not so largely used for fiber. The leaves are statedby most authorities to be from 3 to 4 feet in length, though I havecleaned leaves for their fiber in Florida that measured nearly 7 feet,and 100 pounds of selected leaves in one lot, cleaned, averaged over 6feet. One species, native to tropical Africa, is said to produce leaves9 feet in length. (Fig.
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