210 



tation of tuna fruits from Mexico into our Eastern cities, as they are 

 now being imported from Sicily. 



(2) An investigation of the Tampico hemp industry, with a view of 

 making use of the agave plants of western Texas or of growing better 

 varieties on the waste lands in some of our Southwestern States; also 

 some supervision of the importations to prevent adulterations with 

 cheaper and worthless fibers. 



(3) The introduction and testing of certain vegetables, such as beans 

 and red peppers, and certain fruits, like the Mexican plums (ciruelas). 



(4) The gathering of a collection of all the various products used by 

 the Mexicans and Indians which are made from the agave. Such a 

 collection would include many hundred specimens, for there is no plant 

 in Mexico which ha3 so many and varied uses. 



(5) A botanical study of the genus Agave in the field and the prep- 

 aration of numerous photographs and specimens. 



(6) The institution of a full collection of living agaves. These should 

 be placed in the Botanic Garden at Washington. 



(7) A study of the pulque and mescal plants with the view of deter- 

 mining definitely the species used in the production of those beverages. 



These various plants being of great economic value to the Mexican 

 people, assistance would doubtless be given by the Mexican Govern- 

 ment toward any investigations along this line. Indeed, assistance has 

 already been ottered by the Institute Medico National. 



CEREALS AND VEGETABLES. 



The food plants of the country are very many. Those, however, 

 which may be said to be almost universally used are indian corn, red 

 peppers (Capsicum spp.), "tomatoes" (Physalis spp.), and beans. 



Zea mays L. 



In the towns wheat bread and cakes can easily be had, but in the 

 country, both in the mountains and in the table-land region, one finds 

 only corn bread or, more properly, corn cakes. The corn cakes are 

 called "tortillas" (PL XXVIII, fig. 2), and are made out of corn meal. 

 The corn is first soaked in limewater to soften it and is then mashed 

 or ground by hand between stones into a kind of dough. This dough, 

 without any other ingredients, not even a pinch of salt, is then molded 

 or rather patted between the hands into thin cakes, which are baked on 

 clay griddles. The "tortillas" are torn in pieces and eaten alone or 

 used in scooping up beans or soup, thus taking the place of spoons and 

 forks. The work of grinding the corn and making the cakes is all done 

 by women. More than once I have come to a Mexican's hut after a 

 long day's ride, tired and hungry, and found that 1 had to wait until 

 the woman of the house had made her little fire on the ground, mashed 

 her corn on her " metate," patted it into little cakes, and baked them. 

 For the first meal these tortillas are served hot, being brought directly 



