[ 97 ] 

 Afjaveae (also certain other fibre plants) or to their products. 



15, 71 



The first Agaves to be imported into India were, as we believe, E 

 A.\Cantala,Roxb., and J = A. Wightii, ('A. vivipara ' of Wight). 

 Both probably reached India by the Pacific from the Jalisco Pro- 

 vince (now a State) of Mexico, where a somewhat similar distinc- 

 tion is kept up between the ' Tequila ' and * Bastard Tequila*. 

 ' Bastard Aloe ' seems to be in use in S. India only, and is pro- 

 bably a translation from some forgotten Portuguese appella- 

 tion. 



Mr. Rose identifies the 'Bastard Tequila ' (which is presumably a 

 translation of the local Spanish) of Western Mexico with the 

 ' Huila* of Bolanos in tine State of Jalisco, and refers the Huila to 

 an Agave, which differs from the true ' Tequila ' by being smaller. 

 Tequila is the capital of the State (formerly province) of Jalisco, 

 on the Pacific, where port? were maintained for trade with the 

 Indian Seas by the Spaniards. It seems not impossible that 

 Mr. Rose's ' A. vivipara' may be our Agave (E) (A. Cantata, Roxb.) 

 or a nearly allied species, and that the Bastard Tequila may be 

 Agave (J). Cf . Bastard Aloe. 



pecies of Yucca and Dasylirion which yield a fibre in the Southern 

 S States of the Union and in N. Mexico are called 'Bear grass.' 

 None of these have been introduced so far in India, unless horti- 

 culturally. 



