TO SALTILLO. 491 
fibres of the leaves are twisted into coarse ropes. The 
trunks of the large species are used in the absence of 
other timber as palings for making inclosures, or are 
split into slabs to serve for covering the rude houses 
of the rancheros. 
Some species bear an edible fruit cailed by the 
Mexicans Jatiros. These are about the size and shape 
of the banana, and when fully ripe are very sweet and 
palatable. The tender portion of the stem near where 
the leaves are produced is roasted and eaten under the 
name of quiote; but it is rather stringy and insipid. 
One of our party saw at an Apache camp a pot-full of 
