252 



fruit, which is left ready for use as a spouge by the natural breaking 

 away of the epidermis. 



The following material illustrates this plant: 



Serb. No. 1682, flowers, leaves, etc. (EB Xo. 82, the mature fruit 

 showing the interior liber beneath the broken epidermis.) 



BRUSH AND BROOM PLANTS. 



Many curious brushes and brooms are met with. In the accompany- 

 ing illustrations some of these are shown. Those made of agave leaves 

 and liber (PI. LVI), used for the hair and for scouring and whitewash- 

 ing, are spoken of on pages 248, 2 19. Fly brushes are made from palm 

 leaves (PI. LIV, fig. 1), one of which I obtained as a specimen. Brooms 

 are also made of palm leaves, being supplied with bamboo handles. 

 Other brooms are made out of the steins of various grasses, such as 

 species of Stipa and Muhlenbergia (PI. LIV, lig. 2). These stems are 

 9 to 10 dm. (36 to 40 inches) long, and are tied together with strips of 

 yucca leaves (PI. XXXVIII) called " isote.'' 



EXPLANATION OK PLATES. 



Plate LIV.-Fig. 1, a ilv brush made from the leaves of nn undescribecl Sabal which i* very com 

 mon on the west coast ; fig. 2, a broom made from the stems of a grass, probably a Stipa. 



PLATE LVI.— Figs. 1 to 5, several types of hairbrushes made from various agave leaves- figs 6 

 7, scouring brushes made from Agave vivipara,- fig. 8, a palm leaf (Sabal sp.) brush; fiv <i :l wh isk of 

 grass roots (Epicamptg sp.). 



GRAMINEAE. 

 Epicampes macrouia Beuth. 



" Kaiz" (meaning -roof) is largely exported from Mexico, as well as 

 extensively consumed at homo. It is usually exported into the United 

 States as "broom root;" it is also sometimes called Mexican broom 

 root, Mexican whisk, and sometimes erroneously "rice roots.' 7 These 

 roots are from grasses, chiefly Epicampes macroura, sometimes called 

 Crypsinna stricta. This is a native of the high mountains of Mexico 

 reaching an altitude of ;J,90S meters (12,500 feet). It is largely dug in 

 the States of Mexico, Michoacan, Queretaro, and Puebla. The roots, 

 in Mexico, are chiefly used for making a rude brush or broom much 

 esteemed and found for sale in all the large markets. I bought one 

 of these in Guadalajara, which is about 15 cm. (6 inches) long and 

 5 cm. (2 inches) in diameter. 



This material has been largely imported into this country, both in a 

 raw state, then duty free, and in a partially manufactured state, sub- 

 ject to duty. In the latter condition it appears, under the name of 

 rice root, in the Treasury report of 1878, and thence onward with inter- 

 vals to 1801 ; but the amount is lumped with that of broom corn. As 

 raw material it appears in 1884 and continues with intervals to the 

 present date, as shown by the table below, assuming the name of 

 "broom root" in 1803. The importation, which exceeded a value of 

 $125,000 in 1X80, appears to have fallen to nearly none in the period 

 from LS88 to 189:]. Since then the average annual value has been 



