, 1885-07-01
PLANTATIONS Of ras MAauEY.
Long Lines Of century Piants-PnIqus
MakinE-Other Productions.

f'ufa fortil Jnufhhi
On the descending slope going to
Vera Cruz, which passes in a few hours
the gradations 1t took days to
climb on the other side, YOU
are brought into close contact with
those immense plantations OF the
maguey, which form the largest industry
of the country at the present Here for
hundreds OF miles the plains and hill
sides are covered with long, close lines
of century plants in every stage, from
the strong, large, generous beauty Of
the full grown plant to the small, ten
der green Of the newly-transplanted
shoots. If one can conceive the sym
metry OF these regular forms, the
spiked, lleshy leaves eight or ten feet
long falling in a whirl around the cen
trail blossom stalk with the regularity of
sculpture, and conceive also the effect
OF seeing them spread over such vast
tracts Of country, he will have before
him one of the most novel pictures in
this land Of novelty. The plant is to
the native what the cocoa palm is to the
South sea islander; it combines within
itself a dozen different materials for
comfort and use. Growing on an ALSO
lutely dry soil, with no help from irriga-
ton, it has a property of %condensing
moisture and GOODNESS about its roots
which makes it yield at full growth an
incredible moun of liquid.
The difficulty Of finding certain infor-
nation regarding anything here, where
the usual answer to inquiry Is a shrug
and a ''Quien sabe, " has kept US from
finding definitely the facts regarding
pu~lque-making up to the present time.
The plant, after from six to eight years
growth, develops in the center 4 large
circular cone, which, if allowed to in
crease, would become a thick stalk,
bearing the blossom atop. The con be-
ing removed at this early stage, leaves a
deep, bowl-like hollow, into which the
juice pours at the rate of four to six
quarts daily for two or three months.
The slightly acrid fluid is drawn off by
means of rude syphons and left from
ten to fourteen days in enormous watts,
covered inside with hides-the hairy
side out for some unknown reason. A
slight froth rises during the process OF
fermentation, which is skinned of, and
tho pulque is drawn into casks or pig
skins ready for transportation.
What attraction to taste, sight or
smell this thin, sticky, sour, pale bever-
age can have, is one of the mysteries n
stranger can never hope to elucidate.
Still, as nearly every luxury in every
land is an acquired taste, from the de-
cayed fish and birds nest Of the Chinese
to the Roquefort cheese and olive of
western civil alton, we ought not to
quarrel with this manifestation.
Throughout the length and breadth of
this country the Shiny, yeasty, sorrow
full stu I has an enthusiastic success.
Besides this drink, which is to tho
Mexican what beer is to the German,
the maguey furnishes two others not un-
like our brandy and whisky, very in
toxicating, but, thank goodness, very
little used. We saw but two drunken
men during our entire Quincy. 1t sup
plies, besides, a primitive needle and
thread, by tearing OIL one of the sharp
spikes with a long thread of fiber; it
gives a species of hempen cloth from the
coarser tissue, and paper from the fine
inner pulp; it provides a good thatch
for houses and the debris, dried, makes
fuel in regions where wood is scarce.
SO that 1t fills every want, like a general
utility man in a small theatre company,
and brings its owner a good income be-
sides.