The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-01-22
THE AGAVE AMERICANA.
A Neutrality-suspicious. Produces Fifty Per
Cent More Alcohol than Any Other Plant.


CHIHUAHUA, Jan. 15.-What may be termed
a wonder of nature is the maguey,
or Agave Americana, of the pc
culiar plants of Mexico, which requires but
little if any cultivation. It is generally planted
from sprouts in gravel soil. and plantation of
twenty five thousand magueys will produce
handsome income. What is called fauega de
sombradura, about ten acres, will admit of 300
plants. After Eve to eight years these will pro-
duce the aguamiel or sap out of which is made
the pulque, the popular beverage OF the people
of sout hern Mexico, and which is rapidly COM
ing into USE throughout almost the entire coun-
try. Each plant, for period of from four to
six months will yield an average of nine pnts
of sap daily. and give return TO the owner OF
say from twenty to thirty dollars. The estmat-
ed cost of planting each stalk is about three
CENTS in the language of the country, one
cuartilla. These plants require no moisture;
the waste places to be their favorite
homes, and where soil is almost unknown and
rocks abound they appear to flourish to the
best advantage. The beverage known as pulque
when first extracted from the maguey, possesses
no Intoxicating properties. but age and fermen-
tation give it strength something like that of
'hard" cider and it then becomes deceptive
article to indulge in, especially In the rare at
mosphere OF this land Of great attitudes. This
has been fairly demonstrated IN the experience
of some prominent Americans who have recent
ly visited this country on official business.
When the maguey is about to bloom the
Mexican Indian, with the proverbial patience of
his race, watches the appearance of the lndlca-
tons of the growth of the stem, the straiehten-
ing and closing of the leaves, and the general
changing appearance OF the plant de lnspects
infinitely the entire fed under his charge, and
carefully marks each plant that is about to put
forth its flower. 1t is at this reriod that the
sap is to be gathered which in Mexico is called
aguaniel (honey water) on account of it's sac
charine richness. and from this the pulque is
prepared. The stem is now cut short. with a
sharp, broad knife basin is formed in the
heart of the plant, six moro inches in dame
ter and many inches in depth, 1t is in this
cavity that the sap gathers. and the hole or
wound is kept covered by closing over 1t the
leaves which grow around the stem, and tying
them together at their points. or by holding
them in position by the weight of fiat stone.
The liquid which gathers in the cavity made in
the stem is carried away three times day, and
in order to facilitate the flow of sap the cavity
is rasped each time by the use of a spoon shap-
ed file One Indian can attend to 800 plants,
usually called quebra
The maeuey is truly vegetable spring. A
plant will. as a rule. furnish In "a hours four
cubic decmeters, equal to eight Mexican pints,
this supply being continuous for about SIX
months in the year. OF the daily product three
pints obtained in the morning, two at mid
day and three in the evening. The abundance
of juice produced by single maguey Is the
more astonishing from the fact that the planta-
tons are generally located on arid lands where
rain seldom falls, and where scarcely any other
plant will grow, except it may be the yucca
adams needle. The product of the maguey.
however, like that of the vine, varies very ma
terialIy, being affected by the latitude, the at
mosphere and other external Influences.
In gathering the sweet sa p the indians use an
instrument acting like pipette, which they
call acocote 1t consists of a long gourd. to
each end of which is fastened piece of sharp
horn. One end of this pipetse is plunged in
and by suction the liquid is drawn into the
gourd from which it is emptied into earthen
jars, and in these carried to the collars and
placed in the fermen ting watts. After the plant
has yielded it's supply Of sap, it withers and
dies. Then from the leaves very good paper
can be made. while the sharp thorns at the
nails and needless for which they a very
good substitute indeed. From these leaves is
also made kind of hemp, called iste, which is
used at home and exported to other countries
for the making of brushes, rope. baggng etc.,
and has market value of about twelve cents a
pound The plant is prevented from blooming
because all that nature had intended to produce
in the growth of stem. flower and fruit is sacri-
feed to satisfy that craving for q stimulating
drink 80 common to all races of people in every
land.
Although the maguey will grow in soil where
scarcely any other plant can exist, it natures
with greater prococity when planted in fairly
occasionally supplied with water. Heat has
great influence over the expansion and growth
of the stem, and the poisoning thereof. Elk
perlence has shown that the maguey, acclimat
ed in Africa and in South America will travel
over the cycle of its vegetation much more rap
idly than the table lands of Mexico. This
accumulation of the sweet and it is for this
reason. probably, that in Spain and Italy the
agave Is not as 1t is on the plains OF Anahuac,
cultivated source of profit.
In northern cimes the maguey vegetables. but
rarely natures. This is probably the founda-
ton for the popular belief that it blossoms but
IN hundred years, and gives to it the
name of century plant" In the State of OAK
AGA. in the Republic of Mexico, at an altitude of
TO. 600 feet species OF nnaguey, growing to
height of over forty feet, and bearing leaves
from six to ten feet long, bring forth their
golden flowers but once in every century-that |
is if the statement of the "honest Indian" may
be relied upon.
The maguey stands at the head of the list of
alcohol producing plants. yielding so per cent |
more alcohol than corn. sugar cane. potatoes or
grapes-in fact surprising all other plants on |
an equal space of ground. Much might |
be written concerning this miracle of nature"
but if written at all must be deferred until |
other time d. w. G.
One More California Excursion
VIA vANDALIA LINE. AT TIE Low RATE.