No. 1570. 



THE PULQUE OF MEXICO— HOUGH. 



583 



tion of pulque, a curious apparatus is used in drawing the sap from 

 the cavity, called "milking" the agave. It is a long, slender o-ourd, 

 bulbous at one extremity, having the small end cut off and a small 

 orifice at the summit of the bulb or in the side. It is placed, small 

 end down, in the liquid, and the collector applying 

 his lips to the orifice in the larger end and suddenly 

 exhausting the air from the gourd, draws up the 

 sap into it, closes the tube with his finger before 

 the mouth is removed from the upper orifice, and 

 turns the sap into a skin sack wliich he carries on 

 his back. The gourtl, wliich is called ococote, or 

 venencia (meaning ''siphon"), is mainly grown near 

 Pachuca, whence it is dis- 

 tributed to the agave 

 plantations. The "si- 

 phon" differs in various 

 regions in Mexico. Gen- 

 erally the orifice is at the 

 apex instead of on the 

 side of the bulb. InDu- 

 rango the tubular end is 

 shod with horn, and 

 sometimes "siphons" 



Fig. 8. — Gourd siphon 

 shod with horn. 



MUSQUITEC lNI>I.\XS. 



Pig. 9.— Siphon made 

 of tin. durango, 

 Mexico. 



made of tin are employed. 

 After emptying the cavity, 

 the gatherer takes an im- 

 plement of iron called ras- 

 pador, shaped somewhat 

 like a spoon, but with a 

 deep bowl and sharp rim, and pares off a thin 

 slice from the interior surface of the basin for the 

 purpose of causing a renewal of the flow of the 

 liquid. It is necessary to repeat this after each 

 collection. (Figs. 6-10.) 



The method of making the sack (fig.l 1) employed 

 in transporting pulque is very interesting, as it illustrates an ancient 

 industry and the preparation of a vessel still used in the East as well 

 as in some European countries. A fidl-grown goat is killed; the 

 head, feet, and tail are removed; the skin is loosened from the neck 



Fig. 10.— Sceapee of 

 wrought iron. du- 

 p.ANGo, Mexico. 



