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it is supposed to come. Thus the district of Jaumave is understood to 
send long, clean, fine fibre, and gives its name to what is considered to 
be the best quality; Tula, a shorter and coarser fibre ; ; and last tly, 
Matamoras, a short and soft fibre, somewhat “ woolly ” and “ off colour” 
(i.e. brownish). Each of these three qualities varies considerably 
Until lately es has paya definitely known about the plants from 
which this fibre is extracted. According to the Kew authorities the 
fibre is yielded ea Agave heter acantha and closely allied species. 
he fibre known in Eng as Jaumave is purea pip aot ae 
the Lechuguilla (Agave we acantha). sers kno as Tul 
either from the Lechuguilla or the Palma loca (gave sirain), the 
inferior re coming from the latter eri That known as Mata- 
moras fib y be either from the Palma loca or from various forms of 
the Espadillo, or again from T of Yucca, known to the natives as 
palma baréta or alma real. Thes e palmas and espadillos are often 
picked and decorticated indiscriminately and mixed as they come to 
nd. 
The various plants from which Istle is extracted are found at present 
chiefly on the plains and rugged mountain slopes of the States of 
Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, and San Luis Potosi. The central 
towns for the trade in the several States are : Coahuila, Saltillo ; Nuevo 
Leon, Monterey ; Tamaulipas, Janmave, Tula, Tampico. and forme erly 
Matamoras for San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi. 
trade i is carried on in these States owing to the exporting con- 
qéntences, but the plants exist all over the Republic. San 
oes by far the largest business in fibre, exporting by sea from Tampico, 
and sido from the different points on the railroad en route to the United 
States. The heights at which these plants s grow, lie approximately 
within the tierras templadas a and the lower regions ‘of the terras frias; 
the former comprising “all the higher terraces and the central plateaux 
“ themselves between about 3,000 and 8,000 e with a mean tempera- 
“ ture of from 62° to 70° Fahr., and oscillating between such moderate 
“ extremes as 50° and eee 3") vee latter “ all the highlands from about 
“ 8,000 feet and upward 
The soil of the Koanta slopes and wide plains i aaa - plants are 
found, is of the barest description, hardly covering in many cases, on 
the hillsides, the rocks beneath. Generally speaking it oy a detritus of 
hard whitish limestone, and the traveller’s smarting eyes will soon force 
on his notice the fact that ie fine dust of Lorne of the broad pan-shaped 
grass. O 
‘slopes of naked stones and boulders, the same plants are a oy in : 
more stunted and dwarfed condition, and yielding a shorter and coa 
fibre. Nearly all the accessible country is ee by Hacendados, mos 
of whom live in the towns, leaving their estates in the hands of an 
agent. With the erage ‘of a sage pose ive Indian tribes who live in 
-the more inaccessible the untains, the rural population is : 
ibl of 
composed of uae: Sudinns anal "half breeds, both ca 
lled peons. 
