586 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. XXXIII. 



Perhaps the most important spot in the pulque hacienda is the cool 

 and clean darkened room where the semilla is kept. Semilla is the 



Yui. 15.— Field vat for i'repabation of pulque. The pulqi'e is drawn off by means of 



HOLES IN THE SKIN. 



.yeast for fermenting the agumniel, prepared by "setting'' in a vat 

 aguamiel to which has l>een added a pure culture of the ferment. This 



slowly ripens and is prevented 

 froim souring by the addition from 

 time to time of fresh aguamiel. 

 Portions of the semilla are added 

 to the vats of aguamiel in the 

 tinacal, or vat room, to produce 

 strong steady fermentation. Se- 

 milla is thick and white and is 

 made ,up of glistening globules 

 like small tapioca. It is true 

 that the yeast germs remaining 

 in the })ores of the hide vats and 



FIG. 16.-S.EVEror,M,.,WMNG AGUAMIEL. DURAN- -^ ^^^ ^-^ ^^ ^j^^ ^-^^^^J ^.-JJ ^^^_ 

 GO, IMiiXlCO. 



fice to ferment fresh aguamiel 

 poured into the vat, but in practice the process is too slow and uncer- 

 tain. The f(M-mentation is regulated and watched with great care 



