The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-16
lnto sOup iplended Tor ten rerron. WIN mako n

tolerance
pepper. In little while he will find him self
requiring a whole one for his SOM md than
two OF them. but he never gets any hipher
He will find himself also putting the peppst
into pretty much everything hA eats, berarse
the habit Of 1t is RAPIDLY acquired aud dlflcult
to shake or. The chilli patin habit ia ON. NJ
the fe n habits positively beneficial to the pos-
SCISSOR SO far as Is known here the pepper Ia
never seat North In its natural state thong h It
| lie certain to become popular in New York and
| other large cities once IL is taken to them In
| Mexican restaurants. and in most American
| restaurants through this region, a saucer of
dried chilli patins iu the centre OF the table is
as much n part OF the regular condiments AZ
tho salt. 1t is used here on pretty much every
| thing to eat. and is OF especial value with hsb
| OF all kinds.
This pepper Is gathered by Mexicans when
the berries are fully formed but are still green.
1t Ia taken by the simple process OF breaking
| of the branches or sometimes pulling up tho
entire plant. The branches are hung up in
| kitchens or in barns. Tho leaves fall off in
| little while. but the berries remain on the
stems The skin OF them wrinkles slightly
and they turn bright red. In this condition
| they may be readily crumbled between the
thumb and forerin ger and 81 are specially con-
venient for use at the table. The pepper Ia as
| hot when green and tender rs when dry. but
| "
! ken at this stage, a slight juice. II a man
! gets some Of his moisture on his fingers and
| then rubs his eyes he is in for an Interesting
time. lasting at least for twenty -four hours
| II is stated 10y MeSicans that If the dust from
| powdered chilli paths is thrown in II man eyes
he will lose his sight. There il no recorded in
stance of its being nut to this use but the
staten e mt IL acceptedgenerally at it's face value
| 1t will pain feai'ully il it be rubbed on the
| lit. i "a.
sufferer on fire.
| II should be understood that the chilli patin
| belt is not continuous either from end to end
| or from side to side. 1t 10 sometimes broken
/ by long stretches OF prairie land aud some
| times by intervening sections OF soil so poor
that even the closely clnging ground cactus
! grows only with effort. Wherever the pep
per is however, it is.thick and It has a curious
effect upon the animals Of the region. 1t Is
/ especially common along tho sides Of the thin
streams. which contain a little water In tho
| winter time and in the summer become nero
! Nv rvueu OF dust. Some of these streams.
like the Nueces River. run all the year through.
vet their beds for miles are as dry As a bone.
| The water simply dives under ground to',get
| out OF the way of the sun aud reappears may
! be thirty miles from where 1t went in. The
! chili patn bushes are thicksst along these
| courses. posshy because they need a little
water and cannot find any elsewhere. 1t IL
! disseminated. as are mort plants OF its kind.
solely by means of birds. There Is no graz
| inc.anImal that will touch il.
Will turkeys are very fond ofit When the
| first frost has fallen the berries all turn from
pale green to crimson. and at this time u wild
! turkey " Il walk tweptyImiIes a DAY going from
! plant to plant aud picking such berries rs are
most to its liking. After three weeks OF this.
when the turkey is killed and cooked. its flesh
| is as hot the tongue as II it ha! been literally
| snrinklsd with the pepper 80 hot. In fact. that
one who has not built IN a pepper tolerance
cannot eat it. Chill patin is one Of the most
| PENETRATING things in the world. being the
| equal Of iodine in this respect The blue Mexi-
| can quail Is also fond a. the berry. and Il patch
! Of It two or three acres in extent is almost
certain to contain rovev The birds frequent
! the chilli patin bushes for two reasons: They
! like the berries. and while they are among the
pepper bushes they are practically safe from
| any OF the many things which prowl about the
! chaparra and seek their lives. The leopard
| cat, for instance. cannot DO induced to enter a
I chilli patin thicket nor will tho bob-taed wild
cat. the fox. the raccoon or the cougar. Even
/ the slender blue hawk will not stoop for quarry
| protected by thsse'bushes. II fears the dust'oi
| the pepper may get into Its eyes and ny its
! nostrils. This. of course. would not happen
when the berries are green. but tho predatory
| fauna are unable to distinguish between tho
| seasons when the chilli patin is harmless and
whom It isn't.
The man who hunts the blue quail in season.
that IL to say. in the fall will have no trouble In
| finding the bevies among the paper plants.
! though he will be forced to hunt without the
! dog The pointer or setter which has had one
experience with that sort of ground when the
berries Aaye turned red will not go over 1t
arain. The man will stand three feet above
the bushes and will not lie Tut TO any incon-
venience' beyond sneezing. Some OF the dust no
knocks Off In his passage will he light enough
to rise and It will have the same effect on him
as n liberal dose 81 sneeze weed would have
! The sneeZing heCets water in the eyes. and
with water in the ewes he cannot see to shoot
not to speak Of the unpIeasantness Of it. Con-
| sequently the stay OF tho hunter in chilli patin
chaparral lie ALWAYS short man will do a
.ool doa for the blue quail, which is one-third