PROCEEDINGS OF TUE FARMERS* CLUB. 223 



liaps our farmers, having- their potato crop overtaken by frost, may take a 

 hint from the Peruvian practice, and make a little chuno on their own ac- 

 count. Tlie^' will, however, hardly find the clear frosty nig'hts, cloudless 

 days, and dry atmosphere of the Altos of Peru to assist them in the 

 process." 



The Quinua, the Grain of the High Mountain Regions. 



" The oidy grain g-rown in these hig'h barren "regions is the quinua or 

 quinoa {Chenopodium Quinoa of the botanists). It belongs to the same 

 class of plants with the beet, spinach and sweet dock, and the grain is a 

 wholesome, nutritive, and not unpleasant article of food. The leaves, while 

 green, are used like spinach, and are quite equal to the spinach in flavor. 

 The grain is cooked in a variety of ways, but more particularly in the chups 

 or soup (the universal dish of the Sierra), which it thickens, and to which 

 it gives a slightly pungent flavor. It is sometimes boiled into a thick paste 

 and eaten with salt, or salt and butter, and with sugar. Sometimes, also, 

 it is cooked with cheese and the aji, pepper. Its light, dried stems are used 

 for fuel, giving a quick, bright, but fleeting, flame — something of value, 

 however, in a country where the dried dung of the llama and vicuna con- 

 stitute about all there is of fuel. 



"The people of the Puna distinguish four varieties of the quinua, viz.: 

 Q. hlanca, or white quinua, which has the largest grain : Q. real, which is 

 very like the Q. bianco ; the Q. acorito, or gray quinua, and the Q.canagua, 

 smallest of the varieties, but most hardy, and grows at the highest alti- 

 tudes. I found the Q. canagua at the apechita of Tiahuanaco, overlooking 

 Lake Titicaca, 16,600 feet above the sea. It was not over five or six inches 

 high on the average, but well spread out and loaded with seed or grain. 

 Lower down it was larger, and on the islands in Lake Titicaca, I found the 

 Q. hlanca four feet high, with stalks as thick as one's thuttb. 



"The quinua produces largely, but I am unable to give even an approxi- 

 mate estimate of its yield per acre. It is a grain which, I am sure, might 

 be introduced successfully in the colder, sandy, and more arid regions of 

 our own country, where the better grains will not flourish, among the Adi- 

 rondacks and around Lake Superior, as well as in many parts of Canada, 

 even into Labrador and around Hudson's Bay. The attempts to introduce 

 it in Europe do not appear, from what I can learn, to have been very suc- 

 cessful, principally, I believe, because it is not well liked as ft)od; but there 

 seems to have been no difficulty in its acclimatization. I know that it is 

 grown in the vicinity of Marseilles, in France, where it reaches the height 

 of six feet and upward, and where its leaves are sought as an improvement 

 on spinach." 



Grapes and Cotton. 



The grape grows with great luxuriance. The inhabitants make a very 

 good wine from them, similar to sherry. 



The product of cotton has doubled within the last two years. It has 

 been estimated that 40,000 bales will be made this year. 



A great many Chinese are employed in various agricultural labors. They 

 are paid about eight dollars per month for eight yeai'sj then they become 

 free. Many of the Chinese become rich. 



