very of hemp under two classes only,
viz.:--first quality (_corriente_) and second quality (_colorada_),
the former being the whiter, with a beautiful silky gloss.

The difficulties with which the European hemp-cultivator has to
contend all centre to the same origin--the indolence of the native;
hence there is a continual struggle between capitalist and labourer
in the endeavour to counterbalance the native's inconstancy and
antipathy to systematic work. Left to himself, the native cuts the
plant at any period of its maturity. When he is hard pressed for a
peso or two he strips a few petioles, leaving them for days exposed
to the rain and atmosphere to soften and render easier the drawing
of the fibre, in which putrefaction has commenced. The result is
prejudicial to the dealer and the plantation owner, because the
fibre discolours. Then he passes the bast under a _toothed_ knife,
which is easy to work, and goes down to the village with his bundle of
discoloured coarse fibre with a certain amount of dried sap on it to
increase the weight. He chooses night-time for the delivery, so that
the _acopiador_ may be deceived in the colour upon which depends the
selection of quality, and in order that the fibre, absorbing the dew,
may weigh heavier. These are the tricks of the trade well known to
the native. The large dealers and plantation owners use every effort
to enforce the use of knives without teeth, so that the fibre may be
fine, perfectly clean and white, to rate as first-class; the native
opposes this on the ground that he loses in weight, whilst he is too
dull to appreciate his gain in higher value. For instance, presuming
the first quality to be quoted in Manila at a certain figure per picul
and the third quality at two pesos less, even though the first-class
basis price remained firm, the third-class price would fall as the
percentage of third-class quality in the supplies went on increasing.

Here and there are to be found hemp-plants which give a whiter fibre
than others, whilst some assert that there are three or four kinds of
hemp-plant; but in general all will yield commercial first-class hemp
(_Abaca corriente_), and if the native could be coerced to cut the
plant at maturity--draw the fibre under a toothless knife during the
same day of stripping the petioles--lodge the fibre as drawn on a clean
place, and sun-dry it on the first opportunity, then (the proprietors
and dealers positively assert) the output of