out of the rocks, looks, with ics truncate summit, like a beer barrel in shape 

 and size. This cactus saves the lives of many mules and muleteers, who, in 

 the waterless desert, cut the top off the cactus with their sword-knives 

 (machete) and pound up the pulpy interior, which is then squeezed up, and 

 enough watery juice obtained to supply the party. 



On 15th November I left Mexico City for Puebla, reaching there late in the 

 afternoon, when I engaged an interpreter and went over the extensive 

 markets. Next morning I called upon the Governor at the Palace, and met 

 the Secretary of State, who gave me a letter to the chief of the Department, 

 Pomento, and then went on to the President of the University of the State, 

 where we went over the museum collections, and examined a local collection 

 of insects, made by the officer in charge. He had a very fine collection of 

 models of fruits and vegetables among the botanical specimens. 



Armed with a letter to the Governor of Tchuacan, we left at 5-30 a.m. on 

 Sunday morning, and reached the town about four hours later. The country 

 was very mixed ; patches of good land, irrigated from the mountains, and 

 then desert limestone covered with cacti and low scrub. Met Signor Alberto 

 Dias Cebullos, one of the largest landed proprietors in the district ; he grows 

 a large quantity of maize and barley, and, with irrigation, can pet two crops 

 a year. A white ground grub (probably a lamellicorn beetle larva) is very 

 prevalent every few years ; sometimes it destroys two-thirds of the crops by 

 eating the roots. What is known as a fungous disease of the tassels of the 

 maize, " Wicheley," aborts them into a white mass, which is cut off and eaten 

 by the farmers. In the dry country the gophers (ground rats) do a great 

 <leal of damage, but cannot Jive in irrigated country. Large quantities of 

 white cbillif s are grown here, and suffer very much from the attacks of a small 

 weevil that punctures and spoils the crop. 



From Puebla to Orizaba, after leaving the junction at Apizaco, we came 

 through the great valley or plain surrounded with hills, to Esperanza, covered 

 with homesteads and fields of barley. It had all just been reaped, and was 

 made into immense stacks 4 to 6 feet in height, and from SOO to 400 yards in 

 length, looking like ramparts of sheaves. After crossing the great mountain 

 range, we came into the tropical orchards round the town of Nogalis, and on 

 to Orizaba. Here I called upon the Governor, where his secretary gave me 

 letters to the managers of the two largest plantations in the district. Going 

 through th^ extensive fruit markets, I first saw mandarin oranges in th ; s 

 country. There was also a very thin-skinned hybrid, or sweet lemon, with 

 a, very small nipple ; but it had a very poor flavour. There were large quan- 

 tities of very poor quality tomatoes and Cape gooseberries on the stalls. 



.At the San Antino Estate I went through the coffee plantation, which was 

 in a very neglected condition, though the trees had a very good crop ; and 

 then into the orchard, where there were a great number of oranges. I 

 examined a great number of fallen fruits, but did not find any maggots, 

 though it was just the place for them if there were any in the neighbourhood. 

 Melanose was the only disease from which they were suffering ; scales 

 apparently did not thrive in the moist, humid climate. At Galupebla there 

 was another orange plantation under similar conditions, and on the opposite 

 -iflc of the town I went over a tangled growth of orchard belonging to a 

 Mexican lady, where there were a great number of different trees growing. 

 Among them was a very curious mandarin tree, with short, sessile, stiff leaves, 

 almost like a holly-bush, the fruit being remarkably good. 



The next day went on to Vera Cruz, through rich, tropical country, with 

 many coffee plantations along the line, most of the coffee being grown under 



