243 



England, although they do not agree with the illustration of this species 

 as given in Saunders's Kefugium Botanicum. 



Mr. Nelson's specimens may be described as follows : Leaves 25 to 50, 

 5 dm. long by 3 cm. wide near the middle, scarcely narrowed toward the 

 base, green or somewhat glaucous-green with a pale band down the 

 middle of the face, which, however, fades out in the dried specimens; 

 flowering stalk glaucous; the bracts among the flowers filiform, 5 

 cm. long, persistent; the ovary 14 to 15 mm. long, glaucous, con- 

 stricted above; the perianth tube very short, 2 to 3 mm. long, with lobes 

 15 mm. long, described as yellow, but when dry of a reddish tinge; the 

 stamens twice as long as the segments. This agave is also known as 

 lechuguilla. 



Mr. Nelson writes of these species as follows : 



These plants grow wild in the greatest abundance on limestone mountains and 

 adjacent valleys from near Victoria, Tamaulipas, to the Mexican National Eaihoail, 

 in San Luis Potosi, and from Peotillas, in San Luis Potosi, north to near Saltillo, 

 Coahuila. From within this area many million pounds are exported (via Tampico) 

 each year, nearly the entire product going to the United States. 



The ixtle fiber shipped from Tampico is produced mainly in the region about the 

 valley of Janmave and valley of Tula, in western Tamaulipas and adjacent part of 

 eastern San Luis Potosi. The production of this fiber is the main industry of a con- 

 siderable area, with the towns of Jaumave and Tula as the centers. The fiber from 

 the Jaumave district is shipped by pack animals to the town of Victoria, on the 

 Monterey and Gulf Kailroad, and f hence by rail to Tampico. The Tula Valley out- 

 put is sent to Oeuito, on the Mexican Central Railroad, in eastern San Luis Potosi, 

 and sent by rail thence to Tampico. Wagon roads lead out from Tula to the rail- 

 road, and the State government has had a large force of convicts working for a num- 

 ber of years building a finely constructed road from Victoria across the mountains 

 to Jaumave. The fiber of this region is produced in the arid lower austral zone at 

 altitudes between 2,000 and 5,C00 feet. The leaves are from 15 to SO inches long. 

 Only the tender, unfolded leaves forming the central bunch are used, as the fiber 

 of the old outer leaves is too coarse and brittle. This central spike of unopened 

 leaves called "cogollo" (IT. XXXIX) is gathered by means of a short staff, 4 feet 

 long, with an iron ring fitted by a ferrule to one end. The iron ring is slipped over 

 the cogollo and a quick wrench breaks it loose, and it is then placed in a basket on 

 the laborer's back. The man gathers a back load in this way and proceeds to a 

 large bush or small tree, where he can get shelter from the sun, and, placing the 

 leaves in a heap near the base of the tree, proceeds to clean out the fiber. 



Explanation of Plate XXXIX. -Figs. 1, 2, cogollo* of an agave which furnishes Tampico hemp; 

 tig. 3, cogollo of a Yucca which furnishes Tampico hemp. 



"Tampico fiber'' is a term applied to all liber shipped from the port 

 of Tampico on the Gulf coast of Northern Mexico (Pis. XL to XL111). 

 It is usually considered to be synonomous with ixtle 1 (Pis. XLIV to 

 XLVI). A better classification, however, is to confine "ixtle" to the 

 fiber of the short-leaved agave, and apply "palma loca"to the fiber 

 of the Yucca, and " guapilla " to the fiber of the linear-leaved agave. 



'By various authorities ixtle is stated to be the fiber of IlromeUa sylreniri*. The 

 name is also sometimes applied to sisal hemp. Agave ixtle does not seem to furnish 

 ixtle fiber. 



