78 ETHNOBOTANY OF THE ZUXI INDIANS [etii. anx. 30 



and Arizona, and must have been brought from Mexico cither by 

 Indians moving from the south northward, or through trade. 



Mr. Gr. N. CoUins, assistant botanist of the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, states thiit "neither corn nor cotton are known 

 to be indigenous in the United States. In fact, neither of these 

 plants has been found anywhere where they could be considered 

 indigenous. Cotton is supposed to have originated in Mexico, 

 though it was extensively cultivated in the Orient before the discovery 

 of America." 



The only Pueblo Indians cultivating cotton to any considerable 

 extent at the present time are the Hopi of Arizona. These people, 

 however, no longer depend entirely on the native cotton for weaving 

 ceremonial garments, but purchase the cotton twine of commerce. 

 For certain ceremonial purposes, however, they must have native 

 cotton. 



Yucca haccata Torr. DatU. Liliace^. Lily family. 

 Ho'l-mpa 'long leaf wide.' This term is applied to yucca and 

 similar leaves. The name for other leaves is ha'li (pi. 

 ha' we). 



Fiber from the leaves of this plant was used largeh- in weaving 

 fabrics before the introduction of sheep by the Spaniards. Many 

 beautiful specimens of cloth woven of yucca fiber have been found 

 in prehistoric ruins m the Southwest. 



When the central or new leaves are gathered, each leaf is folded 

 about four inches in length and tied with a fragment of the leaf. 

 These folds are placed in a pot of boiling water, and when boding 

 hard a small quantity of cedar ashes is added. Wlien sufficiently 

 cooked the folds are removed from the pot and placed in a basket 

 or bowl. When the leaves are cold, youths and maidens peel off the 

 epidermis; an end of the leaf is taken between the teeth and is 

 chewed and gradually ch-awn into the mouth. The other end of the 

 leaf is then taken into the mouth and chewed, initil the entire leaf 

 has been sufficiently treated. After the chewing is completed all 

 the fibers are separated, each one being straightened and laid on the 

 floor. They are then gathered into bunches and tied ■w^th fiber 

 strmgs and hung in an inner room to dry. When required for the 

 loom, the bunches of fibers are soaked in cold water to soften them. 

 They are then worked into thread-like cords, spun, and woven into 

 a variety of garments. At least, such was the procedure in the past. 

 No such weaving is done at the present time. The yucca leaves are 

 stUl boiled and chewed, however, and from their fibers a cord is 

 made by twisting two strands by rolling on the right knee with the 

 right hand, and then doublmg and twisting them. After the cord 

 is finished it is chewed to bleach it, and it is also rubbed in white 

 corn meal to intensify the color. 



