The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-12
From the Washington Post.


IT HIS paper notes with respectful in
wv terest the announcement that DR..
Edward Palmer, hotanist of the
department of agriculture, has gone for
an eight months exploration of the table
lands of Mexico. DIR. Palmer is a special
list in tropical plants. and, we are told,
has been largely intrumental in intro
ducing many new food plants into the
United States" We haven't seen the list,
but have no doubt that it is long and
entertaining Meanwhile, the doctor is off
for an eight months tour of the Mexican
plateau, and we congratulate him on what
we regard as an ideal junket Let us
hope that the excursion will restore
doubtless jaded system.
Meanwhile, the department theory Is
to the effect that our people have long
been deprived of one of the most useful
and important food plants In the world,
namely, the agave, or century plant,
known in Mexico as the maguey, and it
will be the task of DR.. Palmer to con-
slider the possibility of its propagation in
New Mexico and Arizona. He is reported
as declaring that there are thousands of
acres lying idle in those territories-per-
haps in Southern California also-which
could profitably be utilized for the Gull
tivation of the agave americana. He tells
us. moreover, that the heart of this in
teresting vegetable is roasted and eaten
by the Mexican multitudes, and that,
properly prepared, 1t tastes very much
like plum pudding soaked in heavy sirup."
Surely, that ought to be a mighty good
thing to grow in the deserts of New Mex
leo and Arizona. Plum pudding soaked in
heavy strip will make a welcome addi-
ton to the food supply of those parts.
l,r. Palmer carries with him our most
roseate hopes.
But. of course, there is another side,
There always is. The agave may con-
tain large quantities of plum pudding,
and therefore operate boon to the
inhabitants of New Mexico and Arizona:
but 1t also contains large quantities of
certain juice which in it's first ex-
ultimate expression as tequila. Pulaue,
unfermented, is very innocent, and
palatable beverage. 1t foams like cham
payne, but tastes like a species of spark
ling milk. Pulque fermented still resem-
bles milk, but possesses many of the at
tributes of light beer. 1t is the national
drink and can be purchased for next to
nothing But tequila is a very different
proposition 1t is hotter than the hottest
brandy and much more intoxicating. The
first time he drank freely of that stuff.
Mr.. Buck Grimshaw. of Eagle Pass. re-
marked To bosom friend, quite thought
fully, that he had been born savage. rails
ed dangerous, and being a wolf, felt that
IT was his time to howl. He then shot
four Mexican vaqueros, a stranger from
Oklahoma, and all the lights in the Red
Eye saloon. That's tequila-the same
stuff which Mr. Cleveland's paramount
commissioner sampled in the City of Mex
leo twenty years or SO ago. and was
found next morning. covered from neck
to heel with garlands from the Jockey
club ball, bunch of celery stuck through
the top of his opera hat. and dancing
fandangoes all over the patio of the
Yturbde hotel.
We are not saying a word against gem
eral progress and the higher civilization.
If the government wants to make the
barrens of Arizona and New Mexico bios
som with plum pudding and run large
streams of pulque, all right. Let her CO.
Gallagher say we. But we think our
temperance friends ought to know that
tequila is behind the game, and that no
body out there is going to waste in plum