weaving, yet the plants are
never intentionally set out in the shade but are planted wherever an
unoccupied plot of ground is obtainable. As a matter of fact, the
patches to be seen in the sabutan towns grow in a semi-shade such
as one would expect to find in yards where the usual ornamental and
fruit trees and banana plants grow. Much of the sabutan is in the
sun from morning to night; some is shaded during all or part of the
day. The suckers mature leaves in the third year [14] but these are
cut off and thrown away as useless and it is not until the fourth
year that the lower leaves can be stripped into straw. Harvest takes
place every four months, five or six leaves being obtained from a
plant at each cutting. The plants are never irrigated but it is to
be noted that the soil around Laguna de Bay is very moist and that
the water table is close to the surface with a good seepage from the
hills which are near the shore. It is probable that the plants differ
in their production of leaves because some have many more branches
than others and the climatic and soil conditions affect the yield.

Preparation of the straw.--The best straw is prepared during the
dry season, because at this time there is sufficient sunshine to
produce a good colored material. As a consequence the workers prepare
a large quantity at that season and store it in or under their houses,
wrapped in mats.

The leaves used are about 2 meters in length and 6 cm. in width. The
central thorns on the back of the leaves are removed by cutting away
the midrib. Two lengths about an inch in width are thus produced from
which the outer rows of thorns may or may not be removed, according
to custom. The lengths thus obtained are left in the sunshine and
wind for about half a day to render them more flexible, after which
they are cut into straws. For this purpose there is used an instrument
consisting of a narrow wooden handle about 2 1/2 cm. wide at the base,
into which narrow sharp teeth, usually of steel, are set. Brass and
even hard woods can be used for teeth. The point of the segment being
cut off, the base is grasped in one hand, the inside of the segment
being turned toward the operator. The comb-like instrument is forced
into it about 4 cm. from the end of the base and the teeth are held
against the first finger by pressure of the thumb. The leaf length
is then drawn up by the other hand and is cut into straws depending
in width upon the fineness of the