The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-12-25
NEW FOOD PLANTS.
Need Only Scientific Cultivation to Make
Them Delicious.

Need Only Scientific Cultivation TO MnKo
Them Delicious.
According to consular report from
Edward II. Thompson, who Is sta
toned at Progreso, the gardens and
fields of Yucatan are filed with succu-
lent vegetables and odorous herbs IN
known to the outer world. In the Gull
tivated fields, at the proper seasons,
are grown classes Of Indian corn,
beans, sQuashes and tubers for which
we have no name, for the reason thas
we have never seen or heard OF them.
The forests and jungles contain fruits
that, excellent even in their Wild state.
could be made delicious by sctenuhc
care and cultivation. There are hair
score of wild fruits that offer more
promising results than did the bitter
wild almond, the progenitor OF the
peach.
The most important Of the large &C.
reals is the maize Of the Mexicans-
the Indian, corn Of the Americans and
the kim Of the Mayas Of Yucatan.
Like several other vegetable products.
its origin as u cultivated plant Is en-
yeioped in obscurity, the Wild plant
from which it was evolved not yet
having been identified. Many believe
that the cultivated plant was born
somewhere between Yucatan and the
table-lard of Mexico. The mother
plant was probably grass, and the
new grain spread to all sections, each
one giving it 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 Yucca
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 q tuberous root Of great nu-
| tritive value. Entire families have
lived upon this root for weeks at time
| and We're healthy and we'll nourished.
This plant is very productive. About
1 the middle of May the green shoots
first appear above the earth. They
grow rapidly, and in November are
ready to be dug. The tuber is about
the size Of q large Irish potato and is
of q purplish color. like certain class
of sweet potato. 1t can be cooked in
the same way as the sweet potato. The
plant is hardy. A long drouth may
cause the vine to wither, but with the
highest rain it 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 tc
be 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 a food
plant.
The xmakin macal (shmakeen ma
kaD, like the macal box, appears II
May and is gathered in November. bu
} it yields only one or two tubers to thu
plant These, however, are of larg'
, size, resembling enormous Irish pota
, toes. 1 have seen four Of these grea
roots fill a bushel basket. The in
, terror is white and seems to be nearl,
pure starch. 1t is planted as we sc
! out potatoes. The plants grow clos
together, and, while have no exac
figures, the yield per acre should b.
| phenomenal, SO far as weight Of prod
: uct is concerned.
Xmehen chilean (shmehen chi kan
seems to be q kind of artichoke, weigh
ing when mature about a pound Tn
plants are running vines, rarely NOR
I than a yard long. An acre will yiel
an immense crop under favorable cor
ditions. The plant, sown In Augus'
can be gathered in November.
III Xnuc chilean is larger root, weigh
Y ing when mature about three pounds
! 1t is hardy plant and produces wei
. Both OF these. roots are eaten roaste
:, or boiled, and many like them raw.