171 



and several feet high. The capacity of such plants to : 

 is often taken advantage of by the Indians who inhabit 

 where these plants grow. Selecting a large-sized spe 

 thirsty Indian cuts off the top, macerates the pulp \ 



ictus family the 



In othei 



cylindric joints, which s 

 dly th 

 pears belong. 



J the same p 

 is Opuntia, to whi, 



shoots only and soon drop away. The stems ar 



In the century plants, which belong to the ge 

 which many representatives will be found in the cei 

 the leaves become thick and fleshy and serve as s 



urpose. This 

 =h the prickly 



being usually 

 Ion the young 

 id branches in 



:nus Agave, of 

 iter of the bed, 

 torage organs. 



advantage of this storing capacity of the plant, de 



mon ; several species are used by the Mexicans it 

 ture of " pulque." Some of the century plants ah 

 which is of great value. Sisal hemp, an example c 

 ufactured from the fiber of the sisal plant, Agave r 

 cultivated in many tropical regions for this pui 

 orpine family, also, it is the leaves which act as s 

 A number of species of Echeveria and related gener 

 in the bed. In the genera Dasylirion and Bcaua 

 much-enlarged base of the plant which acts as a : 

 In all of these plants which have a perennial st 



of water, thus pro- 

 tion which would 

 n which the plant 



