The plant is to be found in the Sertoens of Pernambuco, Paraiba, Searà, and principally in the Sertam of Cariri de Fora, and Pajaù, and upon the banks of the river St. Francisco. It blossoms in the months of July, August, and September.
USES.
The leaves of this plant are composed of two segments, one exterior and convex, and the other interior and concave; the former is more compact and hard, the latter is thinner; between them is to be found a quantity of longitudinal fibres, of the same length as the leaves, fixed in a juicy pulp. These fibres are strong, and from them cordage may be made, and even coarse cloth, if care is taken in preparing the thread. This may the more easily be done, from the enormous quantities which nature affords without the aid of cultivation. The inhabitants of the banks of the river St. Francisco weave their fishing nets of these fibres.
There are two methods of obtaining the fibres of the caroà. 1st. Having taken the leaf from the plant (which is easily done) the convex side of it should be clipped at the bottom with a knife, and with the other hand, the fibres pulled out, some force being necessary. They will bring with them a quantity of vegetable liquid, with which the pulp is soaked. For this reason the above manner of obtaining the thread is called ensuar o caroà, to sweat the caroà. The fibre which is thus extracted is green, and it is necessary to wash it, for the purpose of cleaning it. 2d. The leaves being taken from the plant, and being tied up in bundles, should be thrown into water, where they must be allowed to remain for four or five days; then they should be taken out to be beaten in bunches, that the hammers or mallets may not cut the fibres. This operation will not be sufficient to separate it from the pulp, but it will be necessary to tie it up again in bundles, and to steep it for two days or more, at the close of which the beating should be renewed; it must be yet a third time put into water, and beat. After this the fibres are usually obtained clean; and they should be wound up and braided that they may not be entangled.
I have observed, that by beating the leaves, and thus bruising them before they are in the first instance put into water, the labour is much diminished; and that maceration in stagnant waters produces the desired effect in much less time than in a cold running stream. If the fibres which are obtained by each process above-mentioned, are examined, it will be found that those which have undergone the first, are stronger than those of the second, but more labour is necessary; the difference, however, will not be experienced if the fibre is bruised before it is steeped, because this operation accelerates the maceration. The fibre of this, like that of all other plants, is subject to rot, if it is allowed to remain under water for any considerable time.
The expence of obtaining the thread which is extracted by the first process, cannot be calculated with exactitude, because it entirely depends upon the expertness of the persons who perform the work; and this again depends upon habit and practice. I have purchased it at 1200 reis per arroba of 32 lbs. or at 2½d. per lb. The fibre which is obtained by the second process, is sold at a cheaper rate, because the labour is less; I have purchased this at 1000 reis per arroba, rather more than 2d. per lb.
It is not necessary to cultivate the plant; many leagues of land are covered with it; and there are situations which are so completely overspread with it, that the ground cannot be passed over. This occurs in many parts of Curimataû, and of Cariri de Fora; both these places are in the captaincy of Paraiba. It is in these that I recommend the establishment of manufactories, for the purpose of extracting the fibre, for they are the nearest to the coast, and there are good roads to them by which the produce may be carried in carts and waggons. Although the caroà is long lived, still many leagues of the lands which were covered with it have been laid waste by the fires which mischievous persons, sportsmen, and even the owners of estates annually let loose (such is Arruda’s expression). It is probable that even the remaining caroà grounds will be destroyed, if government does not take some measures to prevent a continuance of such practices, fulminating penalties against the incendiaries of so useful a plant.[265]
Crauata de Rede, Bromelia Sagenaria:—Arrud. Cent. Plant. Pern. The description is taken from my Centuria of the genera and species of new plants of Pernambuco.
Class, Hexandria:—Order, Monogynia:—Division, Flowers complete.
Gen. Char. Calyx superior, and trifid. Corolla tripetalous, with nectariferous scales at the base of each petal. Fruit an umbellate trilocular berry.