Weekly Trinity journal., 1872-07-27
Usefulness of the Century Plant.

and something more, the maguey was to
the ancient Azec, and is to his descendants
to the present day. Every day of the
year, every hour of the day, he comes in
contact with it in some shape. In more
than hundred forms he has utilized it
and made it contribute to his sustenance !;
and it is the prime necessity of his sim
Pile life. 1t is bread, and drink, and raj
ment to him, he is born upon it, cradled
in it, fed upon it, clothed with it, dies up
on it, and is buried in it. No other plant
which grows upon the earth is put to so
great u variety of uses and he knows
them all.
On tho table-land of Mexico one is
never out of sight of it. 1t forms an inn
penetrable hedge, before which man and
beast alike must turn back, around every
field, ard in many whole districts it is
cultivated in large fields, hundreds of
thousands of plants have been seen on
single plantation-ten acres of maguey
to one of corn, and ten acres of corn to
anything else, being cultivated over
section of country larger than New Eng
land
The maguey is propagated from suck
ers, of which each old plant throws off n
number every year. 1t Aourishes upon
all soils, but is said to do best upon rath-
er poor, clayey lands, or upon hillsides
among old lava. 1t will grow thriftily
where hardly anything else can be pro
duced, is not affected by the long drought
of Summer, and will Withstand a heavy
frost, and even degree of cold sufficient
to form ice an inch in thickness without
injury. A more hardy plant, or one more
easily propagated or cultivated, is not
known in the world. 1t is planted out in
rows about ten feet apart, and for one or
two seasons maize or wheat may be grown
upon the same ground. After that, the
land may be used for grazing purposes,
neither cattle nor sheep ever attacking
the maguey, however hard pressed by
hunger. The long, thick, lance-shaped
leaves, Of n pale, bluish-green color, each
terminating in short, stiff spine, or
thorn, comes up from the centre Of the
plant in solid cone, detaching them
selves one by one, and falling outward
until the plant has taken somewhat the
shape of pine.tree cone, the points of
the leaves at the base standing out in n
circle of from six to twelve feet in dame
ter, and from the point of the roll of
leaves in the centre being perhaps six or
eight feet in height. The Mexcans esti-
mate the cost of the magucy plant in the
field when arriving at maturity-reckon-
ing the cost of planting and subsequent
abor, interest and use of land-at fifty
cents, and its value for all purposes So
1t will be seen that field containing
100000 Of these plants at maturity rep
resents S500,000, and many such are in
the country. Until it reaches maturity,
it can be applied to no use, and the plan
tation is wholly unprodu ductive Of revenue.
But then it yields its various products
quickly, and is removed to made room
for sucker which it has thrown oil to
take its place and go through the same
routine. After the Summer rains have
ceased say in October or November
the maguey, which has reached the prop
er stage OF development, swells up in the
centre, and, in place ofthe upright roll of
leaves, head like that Of Flemish cab
bage shows itself. This head quickly
takes the form Of gigantic asparagus
sprout six to twelve inches in diameter,
and shoots up with astonishing rapidity-
say at the rate of from six inches to
foot per day-until the height Of fifteen to
twenty feet is attained, when from three
to fifteen hundred or two thousand pale,
greenish blossoms are developed,
and the maguey has entered upon the
last stage Of its existence. From that
hour it fades and droops, and soon with
ers away and dies. OUeriand for July.