The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-01
"A MARKELLOUS PLANT.

Name O'DOnnel Writes 10 Jne NEW 1OTR LTt-
bune from Ometusco, as follows
No account Of Mexico can we'll omit notice
OF its common vegetable wonder, the maguey.
Indeed, this maguey is an estate in itself. AS
truly plant as is my cabbage, 1t carries its
blossoms to the height of twenty-five feet,
leaving vegetable mass fifteen, sixteen or
seventeen feet below. There it seems to sit
upon the earth, throwing out great, hard root
leaves. These leaves are thick and fbrous,
are indented with savage spines, and taper to
q sharp point after four feet of growth. Right
in their centee is an erect, bulb-shaped sheath,
growing to point. This is the heart of the
maguey which, once cut out, upsprings the
famous wine of agave, that for generations un-
told, has been the favorite food and tipple of
Indian Mexico. The bloom of the plant is a
panioe with numerous flowers in tufts. Hum
boldt classes it with the pineapple tribe, which,
at all events, suggests its superficial nature;
but Lindley has placed it with the Agaves in
the Amaryllis tribe, and there it remains.
The whole appearance of the maguey Is for
midable Not every one likes it, but so much
the worse for their tastes for the maguey is
nature itself Painters would find it hard to
adapt IL into their landscapes, yet it makes q
fine field, noble plain, and an interesting
scene, nevertheless. What would Yankee
growers of such overgrown grasses as wheat,
rye, and corn say to this Aztec giant, one of
whose children has more. strength than
whole field of corn; whose life is fifteen years,
and never quite dies out till it has nourshed;
whose stiff leaves and tough blossoms are a
posy of the earthquake, or specimens of vol
canic cOquetry.
Journeying in the Apam country, have
come across very large plantations of this
pulque plant, or, to speak botanlcally, the
Agave Mexioana. The habitation of the
maguey is chiefly in the plateau of Anahuac,
whereof the City of Mexico is capital. The
best vineyards of the agave wine are in the
famous plains of Apam. One of the largest
haciendas of this country is at Ometusco.
Hence it is that l send you my notes of this
many-sided vegetable inspired, it may be, with
some of its mother-milk, fresh from the tina
cudL. In pulque farm the tnacual has the
same place relatively as a milk-house has in a
dairy. 1t is long room, ranged on either
side with deep and ample COW skins, set in
wooden frames, into which COW skins are
poured the juice of the maguey. The process
of extracting and fermenting the pulque is sim
pie enough. When the maguey is of ripe age, or
when its stalk is about to spring out its CEN
tral leaves, forming a. sort of cabbage heart,
are cut out. Into the hollow thus made in
the middle OF the plant dguamieL, or honey
water, filters through as into large round
jar, which has to be empted twice or three
times day, or the liquor will run over. The
HachiguerO, or pulque gatherer, is provided
with long calabash, broad at the bottom, aud
narrow at the top, and perforated either way.
This he broadly inserts into the plant, and
applying his mouth to the top, fills his Gala
bash by suction OF air, then let's its contents
out into hog skin, after which he scrapes
the hollow of the maguey with sharp iron
so that its pores may perspire freshly with
honey-water. This aguamel, which has 80
strong saccharne principle that sugar is
made out of 1t, is the infant pulque. Not,
however, for some time does it change to
the milky color which distinguishes the
rusr nf Anou md nk sa
mixed with some old ferment, and allowed to
rest, does it become the pulque which every
morning is so much enjoyed by thirsty bibbers
in the pulquerios of the capital. In the tina
cual it is passed from hogskin to hogskin,
until it reaches the required degree of fermsnt.
The wooden saucer full which the haciendado
gave me was somewhat sweet and thick, with
an exquisite ferment, the like of which is not
appreciable in the most of liquors. 1t was ex-
ceedingly refreshing to thirst and recreative of
1t. l did not distinguish that "ancient and
fshy-like smell'' which a delicate order Of
travellers describe as hardly bearable but
suppose the old liquor of the shops contains
more or less of it, without offering, however,
to the curious drinker anything which sensi-
BILE taste will find it impossible to take.
The best pulque, though, is not reputed
sweet The mass of it sours upon acquaint-
ance; but this sourness is combined with an
alcohol which stimulates thirst and thus is
pulque maintained in the affections of the
people. Tlachique, made out of a wild aud
immature plant is esteemed the least of the
pulques; pulgue Jino is the best. Taken in
excess the liquor disorders the mind and sours
the temper, and accordingly / hear it said that
1t causes more quarrels proportionably than
brandy or beer. Yet this is told of liquor
which seems at first draught natural milk
wine, harmless as the brew of dandelion.
Alcohol, mucilage, sugar, acetic acid, and
traces of lime and potash are found in pulque;
nothing seems to convict it OF being poison.
To export it is impossible, as fermentation
and breakage, or a complete spoil are the
results of bottling. Some time ago it was
said that $4,000 bottles were daily drank
in the city, and this number quoted as
proof of general sobriety; but / fear the
figures are number of years stale. Juices of
pineapple, Strawberries, oranges, and other
fruits are mixed with pulque, and form what
are known as compuestos or composite drinks.
So much for the manner and disposition OF this
remarkable product. Net quite so national in
its use as chocolate, 1t is far more popular in
the district of the maguey. II the worst effects
Of its habitual drinking are seen in the souring
of visages it is bad enough. Pulque, poverty,
and Incidence, are very near together, as l
had occasion to see in my recent visit to one
of the lowest populations of the country. But,
though the mixing of pulque with other aloo-
holized drinks is maddening, the frigatful
forms of drunkenness are foreign to Mexico.
AS fluid accompaniment of the poor Mexi.
cams every meal pulque is as much a home
drink here as ale and beer are in Europe.
About fifty million pounds weight of pulque
are introduced into Mexico annually and
about one quarter of this amount into the
City Of Puebla. The value of pulque estates
Is estimated in round numbers at fifteen mil