Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-08-27
MEDICINAL PLANTS.
They Grow In Great Pvofasion Nssr fha
tify Of TrojdIo, Central Ansrfc&.

The, Grow In Great rrofasioa Ns.r IRIS
city Of TrojdIo, central Amsriez.
A considerable portion Of the trade
OF Trnjiiio Is in medicinal plants. more
OF which gov In the department Of
Oancho than In any other portion Of
Central America. The sarsaparilia
vine grows wild. and one has only 10
walk lew steps beyond the town
limits 10 run against itrthorns. 1t is
climbing vine. and clings as close to
bushes. trees. and rocks as the com
mon ivy Natives make trips into the
woods at regular intervals. gathering
its reddish brown roots in small guam
titles, which always command ready
sale to the seaport merchants. who
separate il into two qualities, governed
by the diameter OF the root and its
color and richness Of juice. The pieces
are cut in one foot lengths and shipped
to foreign countries in twenty-five
pound bales. The medicinal properties
OF the vine are not recognized in Hon
dGras, and when the native thinks his
blood needs purifying he physics HIM
self with blue-mass pills until he sail
Yates himself.
There Is plant called the cayamuela,
which has the peculiar property Of
salvation. 1t is about four feet high.
with a flexible stalk like our milk
weed having at its top yellow lily.
The pungent odor OF the stalk when in
a od Il. he
and the leaves, il eaten, loosen the
teeth. Cattle instinctivcfy avoid it as
the southwest Of our country avoid
needle grass, which pierces and cuts
their entrails.
The thick forests Immediately back
Of the town are inhabited by hundreds
Of families OF monkeys. and one FREE
quentiy has a sense OF fellow-feeling
when in some solitary and secluded
spot he sees an old and wrinkied
patriarch perched high up in some
tree. scrutinizing ones appearance
with that ridiculous solemnity which
only a monkey can affect Ihaye heard
tales of travellers and surveyors in
which monkeys In cocoa palms make
themselves disagreeable by throwing
cocoanuts at ones head with malicious
intention. bat it never has been my ex-
perience To find the monkey any more
dangerous than the prairie dog OF our
western plains / secured some very
fine black, long-haired monkey skins.
such as are made into $40 muffs and
ladies capes, for fifty cents apiece in
silver.
In the many small Indian villages
through which the mahogany road:
passed experienced nothing but kind
ness and hospitality for very small
price. twenty-five cents being one
nights bill for the outfit. including
four animals. two Indian servants an6
myself. Many of the men were ava,
from home. in the mahogany cuttings
and most Of the women, while keeping
their vegetable gardens and corn field.
in good condition. found time to manu-
facture ropes. hammocks. saddlebags
horse gear. and hats from the .'pita,
or fiber of variety OF cactus which
covers the low lands in the creates
profusion.
The cactus leaf is cut and rolled ant
pressed between Hat stones, TO squeezi
out all PUPPY matter The mass o
fiber Is then dried in the sun and sepa
rated into threads. to be twisted ant
fashioned as desired saw some yer,
fine hammocks of a hexibility neye
seen among those sent to foreign coun
tries. which sell on the spot for SIS
They are nearly as fine as lace-work
aud so skillfuliy are the different col
ors braided in that they look like EN-
broidery a few feet distant Chi
I cago News.