A Botanical ami Economic Study. 



\2- 



The word aima in the Xinca language of Guatemala, also 

 found in Chontal, is probably derived from ixim, the universal 

 word for maize in the Maya. Later, we have for corn-field, 

 uaya'a, which is close to the Cakchiquel ouan, corn-field, or 

 auex, when the corn is young. If this is correct, it indicates 

 that the neighboring tribes learned the cultivation of maize 

 from the Mayas. 1 



The Costa Rican tribes, the Boruca, Terraba and Guatuso," 

 have words for maize, 2 as follows : 



1 Brinton, Proc Anier. Phtlos. Soc, 1884,91. 



-' Archiv. fiir Anthropologic, 18S6, 591: Revue d'Ethnographic, torn. 16. 1SS7, 12S 



