7 
6 feet in length. They are soft and pliable, not so ananpi as arianas 
‘Mexican fibre or istle, and would scarcely answer t 
' This latter is pening only about a foot ora foot and a half in ‘length; 
and is stout and ri 
Zucc., being the species at concerned. Indeed the specimens con- 
r 
n Indians.” At 10 we find he identifies the 
iio sekugeiii » of “the Indians with Agave heteracantha, and attention 
is oe drawn to the size of the leaves, about a foot to 18 inches 
n length, and to the very strong eo of the fibre contained in 
m. Dr. Newberry’s obser aren ions 
“ Another less known but se a lan valuable plant belonging to 
“ the same genius P Apae is the ‘lechuguilla ’ ( e heteracantha) 
“ of Chihuahua and the surrounding country. Of th s, the leaves are 
“ fibres that traverse the leaves are numerous and very strong, and 
“ are largely used by the Mexicans for the ridante of ropes, 
ing, &e.” 
In the Kew museums there are specimens of Mexican fibre as fol- 
Mr. 
lows :—Prepared Mexican or istle fibre, from . Rowbottom ; fibre 
used ji the gy for making ropes and coarse sacking, from Dr. Parry, 
1879; a piece of cordage and Mexican hair brush, made from Mexican 
fibre, SEA also by Dr. Parry; and Mexican fibre or istle as sold 
in London (value 267. per ton), received from Messrs. Ide and Christie, 
15th October 1887. 

XXIV.—F00D GRAINS OF INDIA.* 
In an AE ee kaer SET the “ Food Grains of India,” published 
in 1886, for the Committee of Council on eer an bene upon 
information iaid w the India Office in connexion with t 
India M 
A few notes on the ppi ra of ‘eae of the crops have been i incor- 
with the work, while a n endeavour has been made to show how 
Under cereals the classification and characteristics of millets, maize, 
rice, whaki nd bamboo rice are discussed. 
Since the publication of the work in question, Professor Church has 
extended his investigations with material supplied from Kew into the 

* Food Grains of India, by A. H. Church, M.A. Oxon, F.C.S., F.I.C., with 
numerous woodcuts.—London; Chapman and Hall, Limited, 1886, 
