The leaf of the plant is composed of two ligneous plates, one convex and the other concave; and also of a quantity of longitudinal fibres inserted between them, and united to each other by juicy fecula, but sufficiently attached to prevent them from being disengaged by the hand; therefore they can only be extracted by maceration. The plant is rooted up, which is done by means of a forked stick, and is called desbancar. The leaves must then be taken from the stem, and thirdly the thorns must be taken off, which is done easily by separating the spiny edges with a knife. The leaves being thus prepared are steeped in water for about a fortnight. The maceration is known to be complete when the outward rind and ligneous bark of the leaves are sufficiently soft to be pierced by the nail; the leaves are then taken out of the water one by one, and the base of each of them is opened until the fibres appear; the rind of each surface must be secured with one hand, that with the other the fibres may be pulled out; even so they will be removed with other substances attached to them. For the purpose of being cleaned, they must be braided and again steeped for one day, and then beaten with mallets upon a bench, and the maceration and beating must be repeated until the fibres become clean. I have paid for each arroba of it 1920 reis, or 4d. per lb. But the usual price at which it is sold is from 120 to 160 reis, or 8d. to 10½d. per lb.
Ananas Manso, Bromelia Ananas.
Class, Hexandria:—Order, Monogynia:—Division, Flowers complete.
The use which is made of the ananas at our tables is so common that in this respect it is unnecessary that any thing should be said; therefore I shall only mention the purposes to which the fibrous property of its leaves may be applied. This I discovered in 1801, when I was directed by a Royal Order to make enquiry into the fibrous qualities of indigenous plants. I found, on comparing the fibre of this with that of all others, that it is the strongest and the finest, and that it is adapted to the manufacture of cloth even of superior quality. I took the leaves of two of these plants which weighed 14 lbs. I beat them with mallets, washing those portions which had been beat; they yielded rather more than one quarter of a pound of thread. The operation lasted nine hours, being performed by one man. It is bleached with great ease. The ananas may be produced in almost all kinds of land; it will grow in a sandy soil, and still more does it flourish in that which is argillaceous; the sun does not destroy it, nor is it injured by rain; no insect attacks it. Each shoot multiplies so largely, that in a short time the space which has been at first left between each plant, is soon filled up. After a bed of ananas has once been planted, very little care is required to keep it in order. I have known some which have existed sixteen years without requiring to be replanted. An excellent beverage may be obtained from it by fermentation.[266]
Ananas de Agulha, Bromelia muricata:—Arrud. Cent. Plant.
I have given the description of this plant in my first centuria; and do not describe it in this place because I have not made any experiments with it, but I suspect that it possesses fibrous qualities. Its fruit is of the same make as that of the ananas manso and of the crauata de rede, from which it principally differs, in having, instead of bracteæ, thorns of three inches and a half in length, raised in the direction of the fruit, so that being covered with these sharp thorns, it cannot be taken hold of without much care; from this peculiarity it is that I took the specific name of the species.
Caroata, Bromelia Karatas:—Lin.
The little importance which the fibre of this species can claim, renders it unnecessary for me to give a minute description of it. The leaves are from 8 to 10 feet long, and afford a great quantity of fibre, but it is not strong, and can only be applied to very ordinary purposes.
Caroata-açu, ou Piteira, Agave vivipara:—Lin. Syst. Veg.