241 



lime to the Brazil wood dye. These mats are often spread on the 

 ground or over board or bamboo-covered cots to sleep upon. By 

 twisting the leaves rude ropes are made, a specimen of which I 

 obtained at Plateado. A fan-shaped blower, made by braiding the 

 leaves, is much used in starting fires (PI. XXXVII). 

 The following specimens were obtained: 



EB No. 114. Leaves of sotol in the process of bleaching. 



EB No. 39. The same partially bleached and split into strips suitable for braiding 

 into hats. 



EB No. 40. The same mixed with soyate made into hat braid which is left 

 un trimmed. 



EB No. 41. Leaves of soyate partially bleached. 



EB No. 42. Uutrimmed hat braid made from leaves of soyate. 



EB No. 44. A blower made from the leaves of sotol. 



EB No. 52. Mat made from green leaves of sotol. 



EBNo.38. A small rope made from leaves of the Hoyate. This was obtained at 

 Plateado, Zacatecas. 



Explanation or Plate XXXVIL— Fig. 1, fire blower made from sotol leaves; fig. 2, rope made 

 from sotol loaves; fig. 3, soyate leaves used in hat making; figs. 4, 5. sotol leaves used in hat making. 



Yucca filifera Chabaud. Palma i.oca. 



There has been some confusion heretofore as to the botanical name 

 of the palma loca. In the Kew Bulletin for 18!>0 it was stated to be 

 Agave striata, but Mr. Nelson's notes and specimens seem to establish 

 that it is a Yucca. 



Mr. Nelson writes of it as follows: 



The palma loca is the single-stemmed Yucca with upright flower stalk, and is very 

 abundant. The liber is more abundant than in the lechuguilla but is a little more 

 difficult to obtain and is coarser and more brittle, so that its commercial value is 

 less. An attempt was made at Miquihuana a few years ago to export this liber, but it 

 was giveu up in favor of the lechuguilla. The trial shipment was sent to New York. 



The cleaned fiber is about 5 dm. long. 



Mr. Nelson's specimens may be described as follows: Stems 1.8 to 7.5 

 meters high; leaves G dm. long, 4 cm. broad at widest point, narrowed to 

 2 cm. at the base and upward to a stout spine 1.5 to 2 cm. long, the mar- 

 gin splitting off into long threads; flower stalk single and upright. 

 Leaves and fiber were collected by Mr. E. W. Nelson, at Matehuala, 

 Tainaulipas, 1898. 



Yucca treculeana ( ?) Carr. Isote. 



The isote is a tall arborescent Yucca very common in the western 

 table-lands. This plant sometimes reaches 15 meters in height, with a 

 trunk 24 dm. in diameter. The leaves are 6 to 7 dm. long, and are cut 

 into narrow strips by the country people and used as strings for tying 

 grass brooms, and for stringing crab apples (tejocotes). (PI. XXXVIII.) 



Specimens were obtained as follows: 



EB No. 64. A strand of Crataegus fruits upon isote fiber. 



EB No. 65, 66. A narrow strip of the fiber. 



EB No. 67. A part of the leaf from which strips were being taken. 



EB No. 68. An entire leaf. 



