324 Transactions. — Botany. 



Its native home (as its specific name imports) is America; 

 there in equinoctial America the plant is very common, from 

 the plains even to 9,000ft. altitude, where it is useful as im- 

 penetrable hedges with its hard, big, and spiny leaves. In 

 Mexico it has also been cultivated from time immemorial, 

 under the names of Maguey or Metl, in order to obtain a kind 

 of wine, called imlquc by the Spaniards, made from the inner 

 leaves just before its flowering-stem is developed. Humboldt 

 has given a full account of its culture. The juice is said to be 

 of a very agreeable sour taste ; it easily ferments, on account 

 of the mucilage and sugar it contains. This beverage, which 

 somewhat resembles cider, has, however, an odour of putrid 

 meat, extremely disagreeable. But the Europeans who have 

 been able to get over the aversion which the fetid odour 

 inspires prefer the 2^ulc[iie to every other liquor. A very in- 

 toxicating brandy is formed from the ■pulque, which is called 

 mcxical, or aguardiente de maguey. The Government drew 

 from the Agave juice a nett revenue of £166,497 in three cities 

 (Boyle).- 



Its fibre, and that of some allied species, especially the 

 Pita (thread) plant, is extremely tough, and forms excellent 

 cordage ; this is separated by bruising and steeping in water 

 and afterwards beating, and is obtained from the roots as well 

 as the leaves. The ancient Mexicans also made their paper 

 of Agave leaves laid in layers, f Its root is diuretic and anti- 



* " Before the Revolution, the duties on the piclque formed so im- 

 portant a branch of revenue that the cities of Mexico, Puebla, and 

 Toluca alone paid $817,739 to Government." — (Huiliboldt : " Essai 

 Politique," tom. ii., p. 47). 



f " Their manuscripts were made of different materials — of cotton- 

 cloth, or of skins nicely prepared ; of a composition of silk and gum ; but 

 for the most part of a fine fabric from the leaves of the aloe (Agave ameri- 

 cana), which grows luxuriantly over the tablelands of Mexico. A sort of 

 paper was made from it resembling somewhat the Egyptian impyrus, 

 which, when properly dressed and polished, is said to have been more soft 

 and beautiful than parchment. Some of the specimens still existing 

 exhibit their original freshness, and the paintings on them retain their 

 brilliancy of colours." — (Prescott, Hist. Conquest of Mexico, b. i., ch. 4.) 



Again, he says : " The miracle of nature was the great Mexican 

 aloe, or maguey. As already noticed, its bruised leaves afforded a paste 

 from which paper was manufactured; its juice was fermented into an 

 intoxicating beverage (pidqiie), of which the natives to this day are ex- 

 cessively fond. Its leaves further supplied an impenetrable thatch for 

 the more humble dwellings. Thread, of which coarse stulls were made, 

 and strong cords, were drawn from its tough and twisted fibres. Pins 

 and needles were made of the thorns at the extremity of its leaves; and 

 the root, when properly cooked, was converted into a palatable and nu- 

 tritious food. The Agave, in short, was meat, drink, clothing, and writing 

 materials for the Aztec. Surely never did nature enclose in so compact 

 a form so many of the elements of human comfort and civilisation." — 

 (Loc. cit., ch. 5.) 



