The suburban citizen., 1902-11-08
NEW FOOD PLANTS,
Eeed only Scientific Cultivation to Make
Them Delicious,

Them Delicious,
According to a consular report from
Edward II. Thompson, who is sta
ields of Yucatan are filed with succu.
ent vegetables and odorous herbs un.
known to the outer world. In the cul.
sivsted fields, at the proper seasons,
are grown classes Of Indian corn,
beans. squashes and mbers for which
we have no name, for the reason that
we have never seen or heard OF them.
The forests and iungles contain fruits
that, excellent even in their wild state.
could be made delicious by scientific
care and cultivation. There are half
score of wild fruits that offer more
promising results than did the bitter
wild almond, the lrogenitor CT the
peach.
The most important of the large ce.
reals is the maize Of the MeSicans--
the Indian corn of the Americans and
the kim of the Mayas of Yucatan.
Like several other vegetable products,
Its origin as a cultivated plant is en-
veloped in obscurity, the wild plant
from which 1t was evolved not yet
having been identified Many believe
that the cultivated plant was born
somewhere between Yucatan and the
table-land of Mexico. The mother
plant was probably a grass, and the
new grain spread TO all sections, each
one giving il certain characteristics
until the varieties grown in the north
hardly seem related to those of the
southern lands. Yucatan has six varie.
ties of this grain, and the Maya In.
dian reverentially speaks of it as the
grace Of God" The natives of Yuca.
tan prefer the native corn to that i'm.
ported from the United States, and
will cheerfully pay the higher price
demanded in, times of scarcity. They
state that our method of kiln drying
Injuries the grain. They allow the
grain to harden and dry slowly in the
ear upon the stalk.
The plant. or rather the running vine,
known as the macal box (makal bosh),
produces a tuberOus root of great nu.
tritive value. Entire families have
lived upon this root for weeks at a time
and were healthy and well nourished.
This plant is very productive. About
the middle of May the green shoots
hrst appear above the earth, They
grow rapidly. and in November are
ready to be dug. The tuber is about
the size of a large Irish potato and is
IF purpllsh color, like a certain class
Of sweet potato. 1t can be cooked in
.he same way as the sweet potato. The
plant is hardy. A long drouth may
rause the vine to wlther. but with the
lightest rain il springs up anew. The
roots left in the ground as too small
for food propagate the plant, and each
year the yield increases. 1t seems to
Ne a kind of native yam; it grows in
almost any kind of moderately rich
soil. and when cultivated intelligently
should be OF certain value as q food
plant.
/ The xmakin macal (shmakeen ma.
kaD, like the macal box, appears in
! May and is gathered in November. but
It yields only one or two tubers to the
plant. These, however, are of large
size, resembling enormous Irish pota-
toes. l have seen four Of these great
roots I'LL n bushel basket. The in
terror is white and seems to be nearly
pure starch. 1t is planted as we set
out potatoes. The plants grow close
together, and, while | have no exact
figures, the yield per acre should be
phenomenal, so far as weight of prod
uct is concerned
Xmehen chilean (shmehen chi kan
seems to be kind Of artichoke, weigh.
| ing when mature about a pound. The
plants are running vines, rarely more
| than yard long. An acre will yield
an immense crop under favorable con.
ditions. The plant, sown in August,
can be gathered in November.
Xnuc chi-can is a larger root, weigh.
ing when mature about three pounds
1t is hardy plant and produces we'll
Both of these roots are eaten roasted