Manila maguey.
This is a hard fiber similar to sisal, but not quite so strong. It is obtained from the leaves of the Manila maguey plant, Agave Cantula, naturalized in the Philippines and now being cultivated there.
Aloe fiber.
Bombay and Manila aloe fibers are hard fibers three to five feet long, similar in appearance to sisal but weaker and more elastic, used to some extent in the manufacture of medium grades of cordage. They are obtained from the leaves of agaves.
Maguey fiber.
Fiber for domestic use is occasionally obtained from the leaves of the large maguey plants, Agave atrovirens, A. collina, A. Potosina, A. Teguilana and A. vivipara, growing in central Mexico. The intro duction of fiber-cleaning machinery in the last two years gives promise of the production of Mexican maguey fiber in commercial quantities. The fiber is three to eight feet long, nearly white, elastic, but not so strong as sisal. Several species of magueys are cultivated for the production of the Mexican beverages, pulque and mexcal, but none of them is cultivated primarily for fiber.
Zapupe.
Two agaves, known as "zapupe verde" and " za pups azul," have been planted extensively in recent years for fiber production in the states of Tamau lipas and Vera Cruz, Mexico. Both have straight, rigid leaves, three to six feet long, narrower, thinner and more numerous than the leaves of sisal or henequen. Zapupe verde, having green leaves, has long been cultivated for fiber by the Indians of the district of Tantoyuca, Vera Cruz. Zapupe azul, with bluish glaucous leaves, is of uncertain origin. In appearance it very closely resembles Tequila azul, Agave Teguilana, but it is not used in eastern Mexico for the production of " tequila wine:' Both species of zapupe produce fiber very similar in quality. It is finer and more flexible than sisal, and of about the same strength when compared by weight. It is extracted on sisal-cleaning machines, but it has not been placed on the market in suffi cient quantities to determine its real market value.
Sansevierias.
The name "bowstring hemp" is applied to most of the fibers obtained from the leaves of a dozen or more species of the genus Sansevieria of the Lily family. Most of these species are native in tropical Africa, especially the dry bush country from Abys sinia to Mozambique. One of the earliest known of this group of fibers is " moorva" or "murva," obtained from the leaves of Sansevieria Roxburghi ana in India and Australasia. It is said that this fine, elastic, strong fiber was used by the ancient Hindus for making bow strings. Two species, San sevieria Guineensis and S. longifiora, are widely distributed in the American tropics. Numerous
unsuccessful attempts have been made to exploit these plants. Recent efforts in Venezuela promise better results. At Nairobi and Voi, British East Africa, the fibers of Sansevieria Stuekeyi and S. Ehrenbergii are being extracted in commercial quantities by machines similar to those used for extracting sisal. The first has cylindrical leaves standing up from the ground like green stakes four to eight feet high, and one to two inches in diam eter. The second has clusters of equitant leaves three to five feet long and one to two inches thick, arrow-shaped or triangular in cross-section. The leaves of both species yield 7 to 10 per cent of dry fiber. The fiber is similar to sisal in appearance, and is suited to the manufacture of twines and cordage. It has not been produced in sufficient quantities to establish a market value.
Bromelia fibers.
Hard fibers of remarkable strength and fineness are obtained from the leaves of at least four dif ferent species of Bromelias growing without culti vation in the moist lowlands from eastern Mexico through Central America to Colombia, Brazil and Paraguay. These include the "caraguata" of Ar gentina, and the pita, silk grass (Honduras) and pinuela of Colombia, Central America and Mexico, obtained from B. Karatas, B. sylvestris and B. Pin guin. These fibers carefully prepared are sometimes sold in the Mexican market at one dollar (Mexican) per pound. The finest Mexican hammocks are made chiefly of this fiber. It is also used for making game -bags, and even fiddle -strings. The plants grow abundantly over thousands of acres, but there are no satisfactory machines for cleaning the fiber, and it is not produced in quantities sufficient for export.
Pineapple fiber.
Pineapple fiber is obtained from the leaves of the pineapple plant, Ananas sativus, Schult., cultivated in nearly all warm countries for the fruit. The fiber is produced chiefly in the Philippines from long-leaved varieties cultivated especially for fiber, the fruits of these varieties being of little or no value. The fiber is cleaned by hand, by scraping away the pulp with a bone or a piece of broken crockery. After various processes, usually including beating, washing and sorting, the fibers are tied together end to end. The strands made in this man ner, not spun or twisted into yarn, are woven by hand in the Philippines, making the beautiful piña cloth.
Attempts to use the leaves of pineapples in Flor ida for fiber production have not given results that would warrant taking up the work on a commercial scale.