♦ KNOWLEDGE 



[Aug. 



making sixteen thousand flowers in all ; the scape, with 

 its panicle of rich yellow blossoms, being in appearance 

 like a candelabrum. 



The vast plains in the interii.r of Moxico ,^ tho liomc 

 of the maguey, and the plant witli it- t!i iii\ U im- 

 imparts a peculiar character to the ^li \ii m 1 m Kc i] i 

 - The strange form of the ]ilint ami tlu i u it_\ ,f it- 

 i are not the only cinurast.inti-, -s^hich r( com- 



"The natuf 



sap are obtained a vuviety ( f ] inducts 



saysObersin his " Travil.s in Mtxico,^ 



uses of this plant as the Soutli Sea Islanders of the cocoa 



palm — namely, one hundred." The juice of the sap. 



which is obtained by making incisions m the trunk, being 



highly caustic, is used In- physi<'ians in cleaning wounds. 



Its more extended use is that of producing a bitter- 

 sweetish juice known as aquamiel (honey watei-), which 

 furnishes to the natives a drink called pulque, and when 

 taken in moderation is innocuous and wholesome. The 

 foliage of the maguey yields an extract which lathers 

 water like soap. 



The agave holds the place of Asiatic hemp and 

 Egyptian papyrus. Ancient hieroglyphics were inscribed 

 on the leaves, macerated in water, and glued together as 

 the bark of paper mulberry. Much attention has been 

 recently paid to the manufacture of paper from the 

 leaves. " The fabrication of this material is destined to 

 be a great industry," says the "Catalogue of Mexican 

 Products," owing to the quality and cheapness of the 

 material. 



The fibres of the leaves with the thorns at the end are 

 applied to manifold uses. The edges of the leaves are 

 indented ; at each indenture is a .spine. These spines 



are frequently so strong as to serve the Indian-i for nails. 

 A needle and thread is also furnished the natives by th(3 

 simple process of pounding the leaf so as to soften the 

 pulp, tlif>n sci-aping the latter away, allowing the fibres 

 "itii till ins attached to remain. These are dried by 

 liiii-iiiij ill the sun a few days, and the Indian -woman 

 hii-< liii- lut'dle, which is .smooth, and not liable to rust : 

 Ikt Tliread in srw lur coarse dress made from "petal- 

 "aliiir ( f this plant), prepared in the 

 it >ti-. .ii^tr than cotton which ha-s gone 



A rope IS inailf from the tiln't' cf the maguey, which is 

 used in the mines and fur tlie cnrdage of ships on the 

 western coast. The imiicr rla»es ef Mexico that-ch the 

 roofs with the leaves, and these, being concave, serve as 

 gutters to conduct the water away from the eave*. The 

 (ireek meaning of agave is " noble," and it is well 

 named, as it is one of the most valuable gifts which 

 nature has bestowed on these tropical regions of America. 

 The wealth of a Mexican often consists in his UMtguey 

 plantation. — Scientific Amcric<r». 



flax ■• (a 



FIRST STAR LESSONS. 



By Ricuahd A. Proctor. 



1''HE constellations included in the twenty-foui" maps, 

 of this series are numbered throughout as follows 

 (the names being omitted on the maps, to clear theBe as 

 fai as possible from all that might render the star- 

 grouping le.ss distinct) : — 



1. Irsa Minor, the Little Bear 



{a, the Pole Star). 



2. Draco, the Dragon (a, 



Thnhan) 



3. Cephe^is, King Cepheus. 



4. Ca^^siopeia, the Lady in the 



Chair. 



5. Perseus, the Champion 03, 



Algol, famons variable). 



6. Auri.ja, the Charioteer (a, 

 " pella) 



7. Vrg, 



Majo, 



the 



Bear (a, /3, the Pointers 



8. Canes Yenatici, the Huntin 



Dogs (a. Cor Caroli). 



9. Coma. Berenices, Quee 



Berenice's Haxr. 

 10. Bootes, the Herdsman (< 



11. Coro 



us). 



ther. 



ealis, the Nor- 



12. Serpens, the Serpent. 



13. Hercules, the Kneeler. 



14. Lyra, the Lyre (a, Yega). 



15. Cygnus, the Swan (a, 



Arided; ft, Albires). 



16. Pegasus, the Winged Horse. 



17. Andromeda, the Chained 



18. Triangula, the Triangles. 



19. Aries, the Kam. 



20. Taurus, the BuU (a. Aide- 



baran ; n, Alcyone, chief 

 Pleiad). 



21. Gemini, the T^cins (a, 



Castor ; /3, Pollux). 



22. Cancer, the Crab (the 



clnster is the Beehive). 



23. Leo, the Lion {a, Regulus). 



24. Virgo, the Virgin (a, Spica) . 



25. Libra, the Scales. 



26. Ophiuchvs, the Serpent 



Holder. 



27. Aquila,the Eagle(a,AltaiT). 



28. Delphinus, the Dolphin. 



29. Aqunrius,theWaterCarrier.^ 



30. Pisces, the Tishes. 



31. CetM, the Sea Monster (o, 



Mira, remarkable va- 

 riable) . 



32. Eridamis, the Rtv'er. 



33. Orion, the Giant Buntet 



(a, Betelgeux; fi, Rigel). 



34. Cams Minor, the Lesser D03 



(a, Trocyon). 



35. Hydra, the Sea Serpent (a, 



Alphard). 



36. Crater, the Cup (a, Alkes). 



37. Cori'us, the Crow. 



38. Scorpio, the Scorpion (o, 



39. Sagittarius, the Archer. 



40. Capricomus, the Sea Goat. 



41. Piscis Australis, the S»u- 



them Fish (a, Fomal- 



42. Lepus, the Hare. 



43. Coiumba, the Dove. 



44. Canis Major, the Greater 



Dog (a, Sxrius). 



45. Argo, the Ship. 



O.NE of the most important questions to bo brought before the 

 International Telegraph Congress, which within the next few days 

 will assemble at Berlin, is Germany's proposal to introdace a 

 uniform and moderate tariff for telegrams between European States. 

 Under the present system many glaring inconsistencies and 

 inequalities exist. 



