STURTEVANT S NOTES ON EDIBLE PLANTS 27 



Agapetes saligna Benth. & Hook. Vacciniaceae. 



East Indies. The leaves are used as a substitute for tea by the natives of Sikkim.^ 



Agave americana Linn. Amaryllideae. American aloe, century plant, maguey. 



Tropical America. The first mention of the agave is by Peter Martyr,^ contem- 

 porary with Colvunbus, who, speaking of what is probably now Yucatan, says: " They 

 s&Y the fyrst inhabitants lyved contented with the roots of Dates and magueans, which 

 is an herbe much lyke unto that which is commonly called sengrem or orpin." The 

 species of agave, called by the natives maguey, grows luxuriantly over the table-lands 

 of Mexico and the neighboring borders and are so useful to the people that Prescott ' 

 calls the plant the " miracle of nature." From the leaves, a paper resembling the ancient 

 papyrus was manufactured by the Aztecs; the tough fibres of the leaf afforded thread of 

 which coarse stuffs and strong cords were made; the leaf, when washed and dried, is 

 employed by the Indians for smoking like tobacco but being sweet and gummy chokes 

 the pipe; an extract of the leaves is made into balls which lather with water like soap; 

 the thorns on the leaf serve for pins and needles; the dried flower-stems constitute a thatch 

 impervious to water; about Quito, the flower-stem is sweet, subacid, readily ferments and 

 forms a wine called pulque of which immense quantities are consumed now as in more 

 ancient times; from this pulque is distilled an ardent, not disagreeable but singularly 

 deleterious spirit known as vino mescal. The crown of the flower-stem, charred to black- 

 ness and mingled with water, forms a black paint which is used by the Apaches to paint 

 their faces; a fine spirit is prepared from the roasted heart by the Papajos and Apaches; 

 the bulbs, or central portion, partly in and partly above the ground are rich in saccharine 

 matter and are the size of a cabbage or sometimes a bushel basket and when roasted are 

 sweet and are used by the Indians as food. Hodge,* writing of Arizona, pronounces the 

 bulbs delicious. Bartlett * mentions their use by the Apaches, the Pimas, the Coco Mari- 

 copas and the Bieguenos Tubis. 



The agave was in cultivation in the gardens of Italy in 1586 and Clusius saw it in 

 Spain a little after this time.' It is now to be found generally in tropical countries. The 

 variety which furnishes sisal hemp was introduced into Florida in 1838 and in 1855 there 

 was a plantation of 50 acres at Key West. 



A. palmeri Engelm. 



Arizona. The central bud at certain seasons is roasted and eaten by the Indians 

 and a spirit is also distilled from it.^ 



A. pairyi Engelm. mescal. 



New Mexico and northern Arizona. This plant constitutes one of the staple foods 



' Hooker, J. D. Illuslr. Himal. Pis. PI. XV. A. 1855. 



Eden ffii/. Trar. 142. 1577. 



' Prescott, W. H. Corui. Mex. 1:137. 1843. 



* Hodge, H. C. Arizona 245. 1877. 



' Bartlett, J. R. Explor. Texas 1:292. 1854. 



De CandoUe, A. Geog. JSo/. 2:739. 1855. 



' Newberry Pop. Sci. Month. 32:40. 1888. 



