244 



Ixtle fiber is shipped to Tampico especially from San Luis Potosi, 

 Tereone, Saltillo, Tula, and Victoria, where it forms one of the princi- 

 pal articles of export. 



According to United States Government repoits for the year of 

 1897-98, our supply of ixtle was from the following places, arranged 

 according to quantity: Tampico, Saltillo, Monterey, San Luis Potosi, 

 Victoria, Porflrio Diaz, and Matamoras. The amount, valued in 

 American money, declared for shipment to the United States, was as 

 follows: Tampico, $62,002.42; Saltillo, $45,470.4:5; Monterey, $35,059.49; 

 San Luis Potosi, $14,424.80; Victoria, $4,220.67; Porfirio Diaz, $1,912.56; 

 Matamoras, $582.50. From these reports it might be inferred that 

 Tampico is the immediate center of a fiber-producing district, but 

 this is not the case. No fiber is produced near Tampico, but it comes 

 from the mountains and table land region, some 300 miles to the west. 

 The other towns mentioned are the chief centers of the Tampico hemp 

 industry. 



Imports for consumption of Tampico hemp into the United States from 1S6'4 to 1898. 1 



Year. 



Ton*. 



Value. 



$37,832 

 294, 636 

 326,311 

 165, 150 

 153,011 

 292, 934 

 463,112 

 469, 720 



Value 

 pur ton. 



Year. 

 1 892 



Tons. 



Value. 



Value 

 per ton. 



$69. 96 

 57.78 

 55.82 

 47.22 

 58.79 

 53.22 

 50.83 



1884 



339. 12 

 3, 247. 64 

 3, 895. 19 

 2, 181. 30 

 1, 933. 26 

 3, 489. 03 

 5, 304. CO 



$111.56 

 90.71 



83. 77 

 75. 71 



4, 646. 50 



$325, 058 



1885 



1893 



1886 



1894 



5,127.00 286.231 



1887 



1888 



79. 15 





12, 205. 00 

 6, 299. 08 

 2, 556. 00 



717, 585 

 335,241 

 129,921 



1889 



1890 



83.90 

 87. 30 

 86.11 



1897 





1891 









The following are the most important Mexican terms relating to this 

 plant: 2 



Lechuguilla— the plant itself (PI. XLVII, figs. 1, 2, and 4). Also applied to various 

 plants other than agave. 



Cogollo (sometimes wrongly spelled cogolho), the con.) of young leaves from 

 which the fiber is taken (Pis. XXXIX, XLVII, fig. 1). Also applied to the young 

 crown leaves of yucca, etc. 



Ixtle— sometimes spelled istle and yatle— the fiber. 



Burro, the instrument used to wrench loose the cogollo. 



Tallador, or lierro tallador, the scraper. 



Estoca banco, the block on which the fiber is cleaned. 



Retranca, the small peg wliich braces the estoca. 



Banco del ide, the large peg with notch under which the end of the tallador is 

 placed. 



Boliyo, the grasper. 



1 Commerce and Navigation of the United States, 1896, vol. 2, p. 1159. Same 1897 

 vol. 1, p. 535 ; 1898, vol. 1, p. 617. 

 -For illustrations of instruments see lis. XLVII to XLIX. 



