211 



from the griddle and passed about in a gourd or clay dish, covered 

 with a rag or cloth. 



A great number of tortillas are usually Jjaked at one time and are 

 served, until they are gone, cold or else warmed simply by throwing 

 them on a bed of live coals. Sometimes cold beans or cheese are folded 

 up in one of them, and it is then called "gordo," meaning "fat one." 



_ . Chile. 



Capsicum spp. . 



Many kinds of red peppers are used both in seasoning food and in 

 making chili sauce. This sauce is made by crushing red peppers 

 (usually the long red ones) with ripe tomatoes on the metate, or some- 

 times the crushing is done in a clay dish with a pestle. It is used with 

 nearly all kinds of food, especially with beans aud meats. Although I 

 brought back only 8 varieties there must be many more kinds grown in 

 Mexico, and it certainly would be a very interesting undertaking to 

 collect and classify the varieties used. The Department of Agriculture 

 could very properly and profitably take this subject up in connection 

 with the plant-introduction work. I have named my specimens, with 

 the assistance of Mr. Irish, according to his excellent monograph 

 recently published in the Eeport of the Missouri Botanical Garden, but 

 only with partial success, as some of my plants seem not to belong to 

 varieties now in the trade. These varieties, with their Mexican names, 

 may be described briefly as follows: 



"Chile mirasol" is an oblong red pepper 2.5 to 3.75 cm. (1 to H 

 inches) long. I purchased it in the market at Guadalajara. It is said 

 to be the fruit of Capsicum frutescens, but seems very different from 



the next. 



" Pequiu," the fruit of Capsicum frutescens, was found in the markets 

 in the City of Mexico. It is very small, 10 to 12 mm. (5 to 6 lines) long, 

 oblong to ovate, and red. 



"Chile pecpiin," the fruit of Capsicum annuum cerasiforme, was pur- 

 chased in the market at Guadalajara. The fruit is red, nearly spheri- 

 cal, and only slightly larger than the last. 



"Chile," the fruit of Capsicum annuum longum, is perhaps the com- 

 monest form to be seen in the western table-land region. The fruit is 

 found in all the markets. It is red, or blackish in some forms, oblong to 

 oblong-linear, and 10 to 15 cm. (4 to Cinches) long. My specimens were 

 purchased in the markets of Guadalajara and Monte Escobedo, in west- 

 ern Zacatecas. 



" Chile cara " is the name for a smaller fruit form, which Mr. Irish also 

 calls Capsicum annuum longum. 



"Chile" is the name given me for the fruit of Capsicum annuum acu- 

 minatum Fingerh. This pepper is red, slender, somewhat acuminate, 

 and about 5 cm. (2 inches) long. 



" Chile aneho " is the fruit of Capsicum annuum grossum. The fruit 

 is black, 10 cm. (4 inches) long, and 8.75 cm. (3£ inches) broad. I saw 

 it only in the markets at Guadalajara. 



