CONSUMPTION OP MEXICO LAKES. 309 



IX. GRAIN. 



Maize, or Indian corn— cart,-as of 3 fanegas, 117,224=545,219 I. S. CHAP.XXIV 



biisliels. . 



Barley— carinas, 40,219=187,062 I. S. bushels. G''""- 

 Wheat flour— carg-as of 12 arrobas, 130,000=353,229 cwt 



III. LIQUIDS. 



Pulque, the fermented juice of agave — cargas, 294,790=800,987 



cwts. 

 Wine and vinegar — barrels of 4| a(Tobas, 4,507=71,756 I. S. galls. 

 Brandy— barrels, 12,000=191,052 I. S. galls. _ 

 Spanish oil— arrobas of 25 pounds, 5,585=15,530 I. S. galls. 



The market is abundantly supplied with vegetables Market 

 of numerous kinds, which are brought in every morning 

 by the Indians in boats. Most of these are cultivated on 

 the chinampas or gardens, some of which float upon the 

 neighbouring sheet of water, while others are fixed in 

 the marshy grounds.* 



The surface of the four principal lakes in the valley Lakes, 

 of Mexico occupies nearly a tenth of its extent, or 168 

 square miles. The lake of Xochimilco contains 49^, that 

 of Tezcuco 77, of San Christobal 27g, and of Zumpango 

 ^i%» square miles. The valley is itself a basin enclosed 

 by a wall of porphyritic mountains, and all the water 

 furnished by the surrounding cordilleras is collected in 

 it. No stream issues from it excepting the brook of 

 Tequisquiac, which joins the Rio de Tula. The lakes 

 rise by stages in proportion to their distance from its 

 centre, or, in other words, from the site of the capital. 

 Next to the lake of Tezcuco, Mexico is the least elevated 

 point of the valley, the plazo mayor or great square being 

 only 1 foot 1 inch higher than the mean level of its 

 water, which is 11 1 feet lower than that of San Christ- 

 obal. Zumpango, which is the most northern, is 29*211 



* " These are long narrow stripes of ground redeemed from the 

 faiTTOunding swamp, and intersected by small canals. They all ap- 

 peared to abound in very fine vegetables, and livelj'-foliaged pop- 

 lars generally shadowed their extremities. The little gardens con- 

 structed on bushes or wooden rafts no longer exist in the immediate 

 vicinity of Mexico; but I learned that some may yet been seen at 

 Jucliimilco, a place near San Augustin de las Cuevas." — Captain 

 Lyon's Journal of a llesidence and Tour in the Republic of 

 Mexico,yo\. ii. p. 110. 



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