Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-02-27
WEALTH OF MEXICAN FORESTS.
From Jalapa to Papantla's Ruins-- Pri-
meval SoIitudes- Trees and Plants.
COR, New York sbn.

AS we penetrated deeper and deeper
into the forest the trail became almost
indistinguishale with giant trees in
serried ranks rising close on ever side
The smallest of these leafy monarchs is
at least 100 feet high and twenty-five
feet in circumference; all are overgrowD
with orchids and tangled creeperS,
winding about the trunks and climbing
from tree to tree, forming and endless
succession of natural arboss ven at
midday the sun scarcely penetrates these
owery Businesses Birds of brilliant
plumage among them parrots and huge
unconstitutional unbalanced around
us, having never learned the fear man in
these primeval solitudes.
The forest abounds in species of
magnolia, here known as yolDxochitl.
covered with lovely, eet.smelling
overs, which are pinkish- white outside
and yellow within The petals before
full blown assume the form of a cross,
and afterward of splendid star. The
superstitious Indians never fail to cross
themselves and mutter an ave at sight
of one. They tell us that an infusion
of the glittering leaves is certain cure
for vomito and diarrh a, and that its
towers will relieve palpitation of the
heart Among the myriad vines is one
with scarlet leaves that is always found
encircling the stems of the magnolia,
the celebrated water plant, called by
the Mexicans the = aster flower" In
case of dire necessity its large red leaves
would appease hunger, but its chief mis-
sion is that of natures cup bearer. ur
pious guides and servants, believing it
to be boon direct from heaven, be-
cause of the cross and star upon the
yoloxochitl, were perpetually imbibing
the moisture hetw, ell fer ent prisons,
till the wonder grew how their dis.
tended stomachs could contain so much.
The valuable anilla planifolia is
indigenous TO these humid groves. and
is carefully sought during certain sea
sous by the Indians of the TERRA
caleonte. 1t is now p oduced only in
the states of Vera CIaz and Oaxaca
though according to Baron Humboldt,
Europe received its entire supply of this
commodity from Mexico prior to l,l..
The arc atic-fr tied plant was assidu-
ously cultivated by those ancient tribes,
the Totonacs, who once inhabited al,
this coast region. Though it re
quires little care nothing but shade
and moisture being necessary to its
existence and is to-day more valuable
than in the days when Monte una and
his Aztec mobiles traded for it with the
Totonacs, it is no longer grown to any
great extent. But it still springs up
out of sight in the wilderness, and
tiourishes at its best in hidden jungles
on the eastern declivity of the , era
Cruz Cordilleras. The Inhans who re-
side hereat outs in their primitive vii
lagos are restricted 10y firm laws from
gathering the neglected plant at will
The vanilla harvest begins in March
, and ends in May, and during that season
the alcalde of every hamlet apportions
to each man his quota of LABOR and
proft-carefully looking out for his own
lion share of the proceeds. The deli.
cate pods-every one of which has a
sure marketable value-are watched
with great solicitude while being dried
in the sun and made ready for ship,
ping, to protect them from mold, mice
and insects.
Here, too, the ialap abounds, tiny
plant, with slender branches and heart.
shaped leaves tinged with red, hiding
here and there blossom of violet blue
1t is called by the natives tolonpatl, and
takes its European name from the old
, town, ,alapa, near which it was discov
cred in Cortez' time. This beautifu
con olvulus springs up spontaneously
on all the mountains of southern Mex
, leo. having tap-roots of pear-like shape
Among the many trees which were
hitherto unknown to us are wild guavas
sort of myrtle, growing naturally il
= the higher attitudes of the tropics, ant
, here attaining height of several feet
Its fruit, which seldom ripens before
being eaten by birds and Larvae, il
} luscious and indescribably fragrant
/ Everybody is fond of green guavas, bu
: few have over had opportunity to tes
, their taste with the fruit when fully
ripened. They are in great favor anon,
S physicians, because of their astringen
r and anti-febrile properties, and guavs
ELY, as all the world knows, is one o
the necessities of a travellers outfit
When cultivated the shrub changes it
;, appearance so greatly as to be scarcel,
' recognizable; its branches grow longer
:, its leaves acquire silvery lining, ant
its fruit becomes as large as lemons
t much resembling the latter in shape ant
. color.
D In these forests nutmeg trees ar
y found in great profusion, though be
coming extremely rare in other portion
n of Mexico The natives use an enorm
o Gus quantity of Malucca nutmeg, bot
O as remedy and condiment- thei
;, chief medicines being these, campho
y and asafetida, but with characteristic
: improvidence they neglect bene
4 fits, and buy what they might easil
o raise Here also are countless lime trees
the wood of which is valued by the In
n dians for making those arious odds an
o ends which are sold by thousands al
< over Mexico In Europe these tree
have been so changed by horticultur
=, that they scarcely appear to belong t
Il the same species as their brethre
s in the virgin woods Across tn
l. ocean the bark is used for we
. ropes, and the charcoal mad
{ from it is preferred to any othe