402 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 



Zacate limon (Guam). See Andropogon nardus. 

 Zapote chico, Zapotillo chico (Philippines). See Sapota zapotilla. 

 Zea mays. MAIZE. INDIAN CORN. 



Family Poaceae. 

 LOCAL NAMES. Maeis, (Guam); Maiz (Spanish); Borona (Philippines). 



Indian corn is now the principal food staple of the natives of Guam. It was 

 brought by the Jesuit missionaries from Mexico nearly two centuries ago. It imme- 

 diately became the principal source of food for the mission and the soldiers," and in 

 a few years was adopted by the natives. It is now planted by every family on the 

 island. 



Two crops a year are produced upon the island. The first, called "las primeras," 

 planted after the first showers of April, or in May or June, is harvested in August, 

 September, or October. The second, called the " a venture ro," planted in September, 

 October, or November, is harvested four months after planting. Low and moist 

 situations must be selected for the aventurero, as well as for all other plantings 

 except the primeras; for as a rule crops planted on high land in the dry season suffer 

 from drought and are fit for nothing but forage. In certain low valleys which are 

 flooded during the rainy season and become dry in December maize is planted in 

 January, February, or March and harvested four months later. 



Immediately after having been gathered it must be shelled and dried in the sun, 

 to prevent molding. At times the streets of Agafia are so thickly covered with 

 mats of drying corn that it is difficult to make ones way through them without step- 

 ping on the corn. After having been thoroughly dried the grain is stored in earthen 

 jars (tinajas) having a capacity of about 16 gantas (48 liters). This is necessary on 

 account of weevils which infest the island. Under good condition 60 tinajas of 

 shelled corn are obtained from one hectare of land, & which is approximately equiva- 

 lent to 38 bushels to the acre. 



Only one variety of maize is successfully grown on the island. It is soft-grained 

 and white, resembling that which is most common in Mexico. Attempts have been 

 made to introduce sweet corn, pop corn, and several varieties of field corn from the 

 United States, but they have been failures. Maize is usually prepared for food in 

 the form of tortillas, after the Mexican manner. The grain is put to soak overnight 

 with a certain quantity of lime, which softens it and loosens the husk. It is then 

 washed in cold water and rolled on an inclined stone slab called "metate" to a 

 paste, by means of a stone rolling-pin called a "mano." Both the metate and mano 

 are Mexican intrusions, having found their way to Guam with the maize itself, and 

 are also used for grinding cacao beans and nuts of Cycas circinalis, in making choco- 

 late and tortillas or fadan. The tortillas are like very thin flat cakes. They are 

 baked on a griddle or iron plate and are browned on both sides. When fresh they 

 are very palatable, having a flavor of parched corn and a crisp consistency. When 

 cold, however, they become tough and leathery, and are only fit to feed to animals. 

 REFERENCES: 



Zea mays L. Sp. PI. 2: 971. 1753. 

 Zebrawood (Madagascar). See Guettarda speciosa. 

 Zephyr lily. See Atamosco rosea. 

 Zephyranthes rosea. Same as Atamosco rosea. 



In the annals of the mission it is related that on the night of October 15, 1676, 

 the natives "destroyed a field of maize, which was the principal sustenance of the 

 missionaries and soldiers;" and in 1678 that the natives had "learned to eat pork, 

 and were becoming fond of maize, although they did not make bread of it, not hav- 

 ing instruments for its preparation. They were also planting many watermelons 

 and tobacco, but they did not know how to prepare it or cure it." (Padre Francisco 

 Garcia, Vida e Marty rio, etc., pp. 554 and 572.) 



& MS. notes of Don Justo Dungca, one of the principal planters of the island. 



