86 



FARMING IN THE MONTANA. 



T could not ascertain how much cotton a tree will give in its lifetime, 

 but, from the quantity of blossoms and bulls I saw on them, I should 

 think its yield was great. The quality, particularly that of Chancha- 

 mayo, is very superior. Tt is the black-seed cotton, and when picked 

 off leaves the seed perfectly bare and clean. 



There is also nankeen-colored cotton here, (the tree seeming in every 

 respect like that of the white ;) and afterwards, in Brazil, I saw green- 

 seed cotton, in which the seed (generally seven in number for each boll, 

 or rather for each division of it, for the boll seemed to hold the cotton 

 in four distinct parts) were aggregated in a single knot, and enveloped 

 by the cotton. An active man will pick one hundred pounds of cotton 

 a day. 



" Yucca" (cassava root,) which is grown from the stalk of the plant, 

 is planted at any time. It yields in nine months. The plant runs up 

 to fifteen or twenty feet in height, with about the thickness of a man's 

 wrist. It is difficult to distinguish this plant, or its fruit, from the 

 mandioc. The maudioc is called in Peru " yucca brava," or wild yucca ; 

 and this yucca dulce, or sweet yucca. This may be eaten raw ; the 

 juice of the other is a deadly poison. The yucca answers the same 

 purpose in Peru that the mandioc does in Brazil. It is the general 

 substitute for bread, and roasted or boiled is very pleasant to the taste. 

 The most common drink of the Indians, called "masato,"* is also made 

 from it. Each plant will give from twenty to twenty -five pounds of the 

 edible root, which grows in clusters like the potato, and some of which 

 are as long and thick as a man's arm. 



Three crops of " Indian corn" are made in the year. It is of good 

 quality, but much care is necessary to preserve it from weevil and other 

 insects after it is gathered and put away. It is generally placed in an 

 upper story of a house, and a fire is kindled underneath from time to 

 time to smoke it, or it will all be destroyed. 



" Platanos" — which is the general name for all kinds of plantains, or 

 bananas, of which last there are several species, called respectively 

 "guineas" de la isla, &c. — are the most common fruit of the country. 

 The people eat them raw, roasted, boiled, baked, and fried. There can 

 be no dinner without them ; and a vile rum is also made of them. By 



*Masato is made from the yucca by rasping the root to a white pulp, and then 

 boiling it. During the boiling the Indian women, who are making it, take portions 

 into their mouths, chew it, and spit into the pot. After it is sufficiently heated it 

 is put into large earthen jars, covered and suffered to ferment. When used it is 

 taken out of the jar by the handful, mixed with water in a gourd, stirred with the 

 fingers and drunk. It is a disgusting beverage, and powerfully intoxicating. 



