Heretofore the sisal leaf has been treated by conveying or decorticating drums as by means of a chain conveyor. These decorticating drums exert pressure and crush the leaves and thus remove the aqueous pulp from the leaves. The machine thus separates the sisal leaves from the aqueous pulp and also separates the sisal fibers from the leaves. According to this old method, the sisal wax is intermixed with the aqueous separated pulp, which contains nearly all the original water of the leaf. Thus mixture of pulp and sisal wax is then dried until it is wholly or substantially free from water. The dry mixture of water and pulp residue is ten treated with a solvent for the sisal wax, which also dissolves fats, oils, and resins. The solvents which have been used include the chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene.