, 1884-08-28
MEXICo'S PULQUE.
The Intoxicant Which Is Distilled
from the Juice of the Maguey.
How the Juice of the Plant n
Gathered from the sCowsr-
The Process OF Pulque
Making.

irEtnN funs-M lOliat lHlldl Mnbat lAtlf
was Papantein. was first to discover that The
juice OF the maguey ingaye Americana,
better known to Us as aloe or century
plant might be distilled into n beverage fit
for the gods. Desiring TO bring his new
blessing into royal favor, be called his only
daughier-Xochitl, signifying ~the flower
and commissioned her as cup-beHrcr to the
king This ancient Hebe, we are told, wis
young and beautiful, and the monarch not
only drank and praised the pulque, but
welded the maiden
The moment the experienced Indian dis
covers that his maguey is about 10 blossom,
be cuts out the heart and covers the cavity
with the side leaves Of the plant, whercuPon
oil the juice which nature intended FOR the
great stem of the flower runs into the basin
thus formed At the age Of 10 years "a
maguey begins TO show signs Of b~lo-soming,
and is then capable Of producing pulque.
During its growth il has been throwing ont
shoots. which are removed from the parent
stem ',ben about three feet high, or after two
years growth. In its fifteenth year there ara
certain appearances, known only to the init
atei. which indicate that the central stem,
or hHmpe. which sustains the flower, is about
10 form in the center Of the plant. II the
owner is not watching 10 cut out the heart al
tile proper time the hampe shoots spread
with the rapidity Of Jacks historic beam
stalk, absorbing all the sap which would
otherwise make pulque.
The juice Of the mnguey in its
state is called aqua neil 0honey water. ltn
gathered from the central basin formed as
above mentioned by cutting into the heart
by a curious process, Into the end Of a long
gourd IA cows horn Is inserted, bored Mt the
point. Through this horn and into the
gourd the juice is sucked by applying the
mouth to hole in the opposite side Of the
gourd. The basin yields from four to eight
quarts a day, according to the siza and
thriftiness Of the plant, for IA period Of three
months; after which it dies and is replaced
by a new one, which the provident owner
has been raising from shoots.
Wishing to see for ourselves the whole pro
cess of pulque making, we journeyed to the
Plains Of Apam not long ago, 10 visit u
mnguey hacienda. The Tlaehiquero took US in
charge the official who is practical chief OF
both plantation and factory. We made a
rather picturesque caravan as We sailed forth
In pursuit Of Information. First rode the
Tlaehiquero. his bronze skin contrasting well
with his white dress, his immense sombrero
and leather apron, and the implements Of his
profession dangling from his belt. Betsy and
l followed, mounted on donkeys 50 diminu-
tive that our dresses nearly dragged upon the
ground our beauty nhanced by blue cog
giles, which experience has long since taught
US the value of wearing on all Jur expeditions
in this dusty country. The poems brought
up the rear, each driving "a donkey laden with
pig-skins into which the aqun miel was to he
poured.
The Tlaehiquero tells me that he goes peri
odically among his vegetable cows, marking
those which have reached the period Of eff
forescence, and are therefore ready for milk
H. -. ..aa~ ..-AA Nl.N A....MN u.-F
Three times a day for three months each is
milked-at 3 O'Clock a. m, at Q a m. and ut
3 pm., the poorest plant yielding at least 125
gallons before It dies. We went from plant
to plant, watching the process Of inserting
the gourd with the cows horn point, and the
sucking Of the syphon, till all the COWS
were exhausted and then our little caravan
took up its line Of march for the Tepacal. or
vat house. This is an enormous adobe shed,
with earthen floor kept clean as a man-of-war
We entered in solemn procession, each peon
as he passed the threshold removing his som
brero and reverently circulating Alabo a
Dies, Il praise Cod One side Of the build
ing is occupied by huge watts Of hides, the
hairy side outward, called tinas la each
tim was II thick curd Of madre tmotherl
pulquc, which performed the office Of leaven,
and whose very ancient and fishy SMELL
outrivaled far-famed Cologne.
When the pig skins had been carefully
opened and the aqua miel was ready for
pouring out, the Tlaehiquero seized q long
stake which is always kept ready for the
purpose, and made the sign Of the cross in
the rotten curds, devoutly exclaiming. ave
Maria PurissimaW-to which the Indians
fervently responded @Alabad Sea Dios y la
Santissima Trinidad I'VE praise God ami
the Sacred Trinity What would happen to
the pulque II any of this pious performance
were neglected 1 am unable Ia state, for
never within the memory Of the oldest in
habitant has it been omitted or curtailed.
After three hours of fermentation in the watts
the liquor is drawn into barrels for the pulque
shops, and the fower-decked booths which
adorn all the highways aud byways uf
Mexico.
The Indians are p~assionately fond Of
pulque, and beyond doubt it is tine most
wholesome beverage in the world. 1t is not
heavy in its effects, but only serves to inten-
sify their natural p%olitcness. 1t Is amusing
to watch how courteous they grow while
handing round the big jar from which all
drink in turn, taking off their ragged hats to
each other, bowling low, and kissing the
hands Of the ladies % il any be present, a. il
they were princesses Of royal blood.