Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-07-10

The Uses TO which the Magaey IL Put by
the Mexicau-.

the Msxicsn-.
fE0-ton journal
On th- descending slope going % Vera
Cruz which passes in few hours tho
graiations it took days 20 climb on the
other ie, you are brought into close
contact with those Immense plantations
Of the masuey which form the largest
industry ~ the country az present. Here
r1r hundreds OF miles tho plains aud hiu-
sides are covered with long. close lines
II century plants IN every stage, from the
strong. large generons beauty OF the
full-grown plant 90 the small, tender
green Of the newly-transplantei shoots.
II one can conceive the symmetry OF
these regular forms, the s0iL "a. he,hy
leaves eight 9r ten feet long falling in a
whiri around the central blossom stalk
with the regularity of scul oturs. and oon-
ceive also the effect ef seeing them srreai
over such vast tracts % country,
he VIII have before him one OF the
most novel pictur- IN this land OF novel;
~. The plant il o the native what the
cocoa palm is 20 the South Sea islam Ter;
10 combtnes within it7slf dozen different
materials FOR comfort and use Growing
on an absolutely dry soil. with no help
from rrlsation, it has a ropertv of con-
densing moisture and co9luess about Is
roots which makes IL yield a. full growth
an incredible amount OF liqaii. The DIM
Guilty OF finding certain Information re-
Earding anything herr, where the usual
answer 20 irq1iry IS a shrng aud a "Quien
sahe," has keo' Us from fading definitely
tho facts rs-a riding Du que- making up e.
the present time. The plant after from
six - ei -ht years growth develops in the
center p lar 20 circular cone, which, If al
lowed % Increase, would become a thick
stalk bearing the blossom atop. The cone
being removed az this early stage, leaves
deep. bowl-like hollow, into which the
juice p0urs NJ the rare II four 70 six qurrts
daily for two or three months. The
Il ghtly acid fluid IS drawn or hy meen4
OF rude syphons and left from ten 20 four
teen days in enormous watts, covered IN
side with hiies-the hairy side out for
some unknown reason A slight froth
rises during the process Of fermentation.
which Is trimmed or, and tho pulqus is
drawn into casks or pig skins ready for
transportation What attraction % taste,
SIGHT or smell this thin, sticky. sou pale
tes ~a-e can have is one OF the mysteries
a stranger can never hope 20 eluciIate.
Still. "a nearly every luxury in every land
IL an acquired taste. from The decaved fish
and t.rl's nest % the Chinese 20 the
Rr0Ielor, cheese and ve OF western civ
tization. we ought not toquarrel with this
manifestation Throughout the length
ani breadth of this country the slimv.
veasty. s0rrowful stuff has an enthusiastic
success
Besides this drink which 5 20 the Mexi-
can vhat beer IS o. the German. the ma.
-uev fgrn she's two others not unlike our
hraniv and whisky. very intoxicating.
hut thank goodness. very li-tle usel We
saw hnf tw0 drunken men du~iur our en-
tire journey. II SUPP lies. bes les.
primitive needle arI thread. by tearina
~ oue - Gle sharp spikes with long
fhre0f Of er. it ives species of bemp-
en c.s from rhe e. .arsar tissues. oud ua-
per from tee fine inner pulp: De- rr9giI Ice
Erel toafr1 '4r houses. and fhe I.j ris
irie,i. makes l1e in rex o1s " ere wood
sra-ce. So that fila every wsu- ike
f zeneral utif ~ man % small theater
oomuFnv. a1i brings IS owner Eoad m
cowe hes.des 7 can no- 500 where the
raft comes VIII a giass OF pol4ge can
Ie srIi e. chaapIv, tut fhev ssv fhat
"a p'1n- hri1 - IN aver7Es ~ abo.i- $50
f1r f.HsV NJ eight years ~ life sni fs
fuuirHt square feet .r 81 ~ ground r11m
T 'nrraf Say that on the are rfanta-
inrs fhe vnts fer farnen gatir1 have each
"a spec i1l nanua. us1al- 'hot o- q sai1r o-
e sensation prin'ed shru it such a. "Et
u.szan ff " n ID rri.sa r' .-r Santa t. "a