Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-04-16
IN OLD MEXICO.
Mexico City, March 20.

very inttiSos''S'
There are TWO lines of road CON
Meeting Mexico City with Pnebia anu
vera Cruz and one should make IL
noint to either go or return VIA tne
Interoceanic, which has two lines
one via Puebla and another direct 10
Vera Cruz. The scenery along the
rnteroceanjc is something grand, es'
nec,ally between Puebla and Jalapa
and part of the distance between jar
ana and Vera Cruz Puebia, aoou'
fve hours run from the CITY, lays
claim tn being the second city in size
in the Republic, but this Is disputed
nv Cuadalajara, whose people say
ppahIa "a not in IT and must take
third place with about 100000 popuih-
ton. II is called the City oil Churches
owing to the many large and hand
some edifices, containing innumer-
ah,e rare and valuable paintings. Al
Tlaxcala. 20 miles from Puebla, are
nortraits of the four Indian chiefs
who assisted Cortez in his campaign
of conquest, also the robes in when
they were baptised and the standard
which was given them by Cortez. Al
Tiaxcala we're bull, the boats which
were launched at Texcoco. and which
were an important factor in the con
quest OF Mexico.
Il is between Puebla and Jalapa
where the scenery comes in 1t Is by
the Interoceanic line that the hnest
views OF Orizaba, the grand old noun
tain of the North American continent,
are obtained. On clear days II seems
only stones throw to the base and
only a trile farther to the summit;
but 1t would require many laborious
hours TO gain either. Jalapa Is
place of from 10000 to $4,000 people
and is the richest city in the Repub-
lie, according TO population. In fact,
Ii is the home OF Mexico's wealthy
class. 1t was an old town before the
conquest and, until Puebla was built,
the only town of note between the
coast and this city. II was at Jalapa
that the great annual fair for the sale
of the goods brought by the Spanish
feet was held. Jalapa is situated on
the mountain side and leaving the
city one can see in the valley below
tropical vardure and the mountain
peak forever white with snow. If the
visitor has the time 1t Is well to spend
day at Puebla and several at Jalapa
where good hotel accommodations
are provided. At Jalapa the atmos-
phere is delightful, and 1t is One of
the healthiest places in the Republic.
Along the route to Vera Cruz one
passes through extensive coffee plan
tations which is one of the main in
dustries of the country.
Some years ago there was tram
way from Jalapa to Tejeria. 20 miles
distant, connecting the city with the
Vera Cruz railroad. The ride to and
from Vera Cruz will long be remer-
bered, passing through a section pure
ly tropical a good part of the distance
and enjoying the vegetation.
AS the cocoa palm is such notice
able and picturesque adjunct of the
landscape, and 10 the foreigner or res
ident from the interior such a novel
sight, few lines regarding this val
liable tropical fruit may not come
amiss. The fruit Is first noticed as
we near Vera Cruz and continues-as
prominent feature. either majestic
ally growing alone or more commonly
In clumps of a dozen or upwards, al
ways a great variety in the fiat scene
ry and an invariable source of income
to their owners, although the farther
south one goes the fruit tnrives bet
ter. Every one knows the cocoanut,
although the tree itself actually grow
ing Is another thing, In the tropics
the nut supplies a most refreshing
drink--one may obtain it at almost
any stopping point. II Is the unrip.
ened nut from which the pleasant
beverage is obtained. A blow or two
of the nut cuts off not only the pitch
coat, but the point of the shell and
discloses cavity, full of COOL slight
ly milkish and sweetish water
which from Its very coolness, 1t is
better 10 mix with little spirit. The
--N.N sN1N'' 20 NNii willy vi
ton. Even in the tropics where the
gifts of nature are so wonderful, the
cocoanut appears TO nave been par
ucularly favored. Examine the con.
struction and termination of them.
The outside coat gradually turns into
the brown fiber, out of which 1t is
possible TO make mating. The cream
OF the nut gradually hardens into
what the youth of all countries delight
: to deyour, but what by nature is in
tended as the albumen, TO nourish the
young palm, till 1t has grown leaves
enough to feed on the air, and roots
enough TO feed ON the soil One may
search among the creamy layer at the
larger end of the nut and you will
find, gradually separating itself from
the mass, little white lump, like the
stalk of very young mushroom.
This is the ovule. In it lies the life
OF the future tree. Everyone remem.
bers the three eyes In the monkey s
face, as children term 1t, at the butt
OF the nut. Two of these eyes are
Hind ,,.g,- ,rt.