646 Plants Used by Indians of the United States. (October, 
PLANTS USED BY THE INDIANS OF THE UNITED 
STATES. 
BY DR. EDWARD PALMER. 
[ Concluded. | 
Textile Plants — Yucca baccata. This is one of the most useful 
plants to the Indians of New Mexico, Arizona, and Southern 
California. Its fruit is eaten while fresh and in the dry state. It 
grows from two to eighteen feet in height, and becomes a tall tree 
further southward, varying in diameter from eight to twenty 
inches. The bodies of these plants are very fibrous. The Indi- 
ans and Mexicans when in want of soap cut the stems into slices, 
beat them into a pulp, and mix them with the water in washing 
as a substitute for soap, for which it answers finely. The leaves are 
generally about two feet in length and are very fibrous. In order 
to remove the bast the leaves are first soaked in water, then pounded 
with a wooden mallet, at the same time occasionally plunged 
into water to remove the liberated epidermis. Then if not suffi- 
ciently clean and white it is returned to the water for a time and 
again put through the beating process; generally the second 
course is sufficient. The fibres of the leaves being strong, long 
and durable are adapted for Indian manufactures, and the savages 
of Southern California make therefrom excellent horse blankets. 
All the tribes living in the country where this plant is found, 
use it to make ropes, twine, nets, hats, hair brushes, shoes, and 
mattresses. 
The Diegeno Indians of Southern California have brought the 
uses of this plant to notice by the various articles they make from 
its fibres, and sell to white settlers. In preparing a warp for the man- 
ufacture of saddle blankets, it is first loosely twisted, then when 
wanted it receives a firmer twist. If the blanket is to be orna- 
mented, a part of the warp during the first process, is dyed a 
claret brown, oak bark being used for that purpose. The loom 
in use among the Indians of to-day is original with themselves, 
and not borrowed, as some suppose, from the Spaniards. Itis a 
simple affair consisting of two round, strong, short poles, one sus- 
pended and the other fastened to the ground. Upon these is 
« arranged the warp. Two long wooden needles with eyes are 
threaded with the filling which is more loosely twisted than the 
warp, in order to give substance or body to the blanket. Each i 
time that the Monies is thrust between the threads of the warp by 3 
