402 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 
Zacate limon (Guam). See Andropogon nardus. 
Zapote chico, Zapotillo chico (Philippines). See Sapota zapotilla. 
Zea mays. Maize. INDIAN CORN. 
Family Poaceae. 
LocaL NAMES.—Maeis, (Guam); Maiz (Spanish); Borona (Philippines). 
Indian corn is now the principal food staple of the natives of Guam. It was 
brought by the Jesuit missionaries from Mexico nearly two centuries ago. It imme- 
diately became the principal source of food for the mission and the soldiers,“ and in 
a few years was adopted by the natives. It is now planted by every family on the 
island. 
Two crops a year are produced upon the island. The first, called ‘‘las primeras,”’ 
planted after the first showers of April, or in May or June, is harvested in August, 
September, or October. The second, called the ‘‘aventurero,’’ planted in September, 
October, or November, is harvested four months after planting. Low and moist 
situations must be selected for the aventurero, as well as for all other plantings 
except the primeras; for as a rule crops planted on high land in the dry season suffer 
from drought and are fit for nothing but forage. In certain low valleys which are 
flooded during the rainy season and become dry in December maize is planted in 
January, February, or March and harvested four months later. 
Immediately after having been gathered it must be shelled and dried in the sun, 
to prevent molding. At times the streets of Agafia are so thickly covered with 
mats of drying corn that it is difficult to make ones way through them without step- 
ping on the corn, After having been thoroughly dried the grain is stored in earthen 
jars (tinajas) having a capacity of about 16 gantas (48 liters). This is necessary on 
account of weevils which infest the island. Under good condition 60 tinajas of 
shelled corn are obtained from one hectare of land,’ which is approximately equiva- 
lent to 38 bushels to the acre. 
Only one variety of maize is successfully grown on the island. It is soft-grained 
and white, resembling that which is most common in Mexico. Attempts have been 
made to introduce sweet corn, pop corn, and several varieties of field corn from the 
United States, but they have been failures. Maize is usually prepared for food in 
the form of tortillas, after the Mexican manner. The grain is put to soak overnight 
with a certain quantity of lime, which softens it and loosens the husk. It is then 
washed in cold water and rolled on an inclined stone slab called ‘“‘metate’’ to a 
paste, by means of a stone rolling-pin called a ‘‘mano.’’? Both the metate and mano 
are Mexican intrusions, having found their way to Guam with the maize itself, and 
are also used for grinding cacao beans and nuts of Cycas circinalis, in making choco- 
late and tortillas or fadan. The tortillas are like very thin flat cakes. They are 
baked on a griddle or iron plate and are browned on both sides. When fresh they 
are very palatable, having a flavor of parched corn and a crisp consistency. When 
cold, however, they become tough and leathery, and are only fit to feed to animals. 
REFERENCES: 
Zea mays Li. Sp. Pl. 2: 971.1753. 
Zebrawood ( Madagascar). See Guettarda speciosa. 
Zephyr lily. See Atamoseo rosea, 
Zephyranthes rosea. Same as Aflamosco rosea. 
“In the annals of ‘the 1 mission it is re slated that on the night of October 15, 1676, 
the natives “destroyed a field of maize, which was the principal sustenance of the 
missionaries and soldiers;’’ and in 1678 that the natives had ‘‘learned to eat pork, 
and were becoming fond of maize, although they did not make bread of it, not hay- 
ing instruments for its preparation. The ‘y were also planting many watermelons 
and tobacco, but they did not know how to prepare it or cure it.’ (Padre Francisco 
Garcia, Vida e Martyrio, ete., pp. 554 and 572. ) 
bMS, notes of Don Justo Dungea, one of the principal planters of the island. 
