The record-union., 1892-12-02

and planted, the irrigating canal, con-
Meeting with the river, is opened, and the
trenches carry the water to the highest
level, whence it passes TO the lowest edge.
Fields of cane are thoroughly soaked in
the same way.
The characteristic product of the Sierra
is wool, the bulk of which is shipped to
England.
There are sheep farms in Southern Peru
with as many as II, 900 stocks, and the ex-
port of wool of all kinds amounts to
"a, 100000 year. The bulk OF the alpaca
clip comes from Arequipa, where this
grade of wool is assorted and packed for
shipment to England. The alpaca is a
smaller animal than the llama, and has a
long, soft fleece, either white, black or
speckled. The animals Craze at great
nights on the mountains, and are kept
together in large herds until shearing
time, when the Indian shepherds drive
them down to the villages. Alpaca wool
IS always in demand, and brings good
price, especially the long fieeces. The
wool OF the llama IS used by the natives
Tor making coarse cloth, but is not eX-
ported. The wild vicuna, an animal of
the same family, is found at greater
nights than the alpaca, and has valuable
fleece of brown, yellow and white. This
animal is taken alive by the Indian hunt
ers, and is driven by them to the nearest
village. AS the llama is the beast of bur-
den III the mountainous section of Peru,
large tocks are raised and trained in the
provinces by the Indians. Other indus
tries of the Sierra are cattle herding and
the training of high-blOoded stock for
bull fights. Alfalfa, which, in the tropics
takes the place of other clover, supplies
luXuriant and nutritious fodder for every
class OF stock. The shepherds and herds
men of the mountains live in huts
matched with palm or straw, and raise
corn and potatoes i'll the clearings of the
valleys. The corn, when ground betw en-
S ones, is made into batter and fried, Ike
TIE Mexican tortillas. The termented
Juice of corn is chicha, the national brew.
The potato can be raised in the mount
aims at great elevation, and is one of the
commonest articles OF diet, u soup, fla
vored with green pepper and garlic, being
made from it. Another Characteristic
product of Peru is the Yucca, which has
stalk five feet high, and roots several
feet long. These roots are not unlike
chestnuts in flavor, and when boiled be-
come mealy. Fine flour can be made
from the yucca. Another common arti-
Gle of Indian diet is quinua, the leaves
of which furnish a salad, and the grain,
when boiled, dried and ground, nutri-
tious porridge. Very little labor is re-
quired i'll order to keep soul and body to-
gether III the Sierra. Potatoes are found
growing wild in the woods. Yuccas are
planted by cutting the stalks into small
pieces, and sticking them in the ground,
and in six months the roots are ready for
use. Corn can be raised at ali seasons and
with very little cultivation.
The cinchOna tree was once one of the
chief products of Peru, since quinine was
produced from it, but livestock has been
practically exhausted, both there and in
Bolivia, and the supply is now drawn
from India and other quarters. another
ana more recent drug, cocaine, is an aka
lold OF plant which grows in theswarm
valleys thanking the Montana Wilderness.
The leaves Of the coca plant have been
used tor centuries by the Indians as u
slimulant. The shrub grows to hight
OF i've feet, has glossy green leaves and
white flowers, from which red berries
are produced. it is raised from seed in
nurseries and tranSplanted into rows in
open fields, where 1t Will stand for thirty
years. The leaves are dried in the sun.
and are then ready for use. A Peruvian
Indian is never without his pouch OF
coca leaves, and can sustain life upon
them Tor many days without having any
other food, The powdered leaves, mixed
with lime, have been for him, since the
days Of the lncas, what opium is to the
Chlnaman, or tobacco to the American
1t is a Stimulant which enables him to
endure the cold OF the highest peaks OF
the Cordilleras, to make long journeys
with scanty supplies of food, and, appa-
reEtly, to live TO an advanced age, for the
Indians of Peru are remarkable for lon
gevity. Enormous quantities Of coca are
consumed in South America, and the in
dustry is an important one, especially in
view of the modern use OF cocaine. There
are factories in Lima aud Callao for the
manufacture Of cocaine.-I. n. Ford in
American y Agriculturist.