NOTES ON SOUTHERN MEXICO 



305 



BOLLS OL "CULLUCHL" COTTON ( 'SLIGHTLY REDUCED) 



This cotton protects itself against the boll weevil in most vigorous fashion. As soon 

 as a weevil has deposited an egg inside the cotton boll, the plant manufactures tissue around 

 the egg and smothers it. The buds are protected by a small jumping spider, which weaves 

 a web across the base of the bracts (see pages 310 and 313). 



which appear to be limestone. Here 

 logwood is abundant. So far as we 

 could learn, no use is made of this dye- 

 wood, and the transportation facilities 

 are probably insufficient to warrant its 

 exportation. The only agricultural op- 

 erations seen in this part of the country 

 were a few scattered fields of Indian 

 corn and young henequen plantations. 



Traveling in this sparsely inhabited 

 region, one always fares well at the haci- 

 endas along the road, but in the towns 

 it is difficult to secure any accommoda- 

 tions. There is not sufficient travel to 

 warrant hotels, and the generous hos- 

 pitality of the Unqueros is entirely want- 

 ing in the towns. 



At Cintalapa we learned of a cotton 

 plantation at Rosario which we visited. 

 The way from Cintalapa to Rosario 

 leads through two broad valleys sepa- 

 rated by low hills ; the same dry-land 

 type of vegetation continued, consisting 

 of fine-leaved legumes, grass, and occa- 



sional cacti. Occasional corn fields were 

 the only signs of cultivation. The corn 

 had all been harvested, and the plants 

 showed that they had been doubled and 

 the tops cut for fodder. At Rosario, 

 which is located on similar land, Sehor 

 Tirado is growing beans, corn, tobacco, 

 cotton, sugar (with irrigation), and 

 henequen. He also keeps a quantity of 

 cattle and is making cheese. The place 

 is a striking example of what can be 

 done on these dry lands by intelligent 

 management. Serior Tirado gladly gave 

 all information requested and is willing 

 to send seeds to the Department or aid 

 in any way possible. 



The cotton crop at Rosario had just 

 been harvested, but the plants had not 

 been destroyed, so that we were able to 

 secure data regarding the nature of the 

 variety and its method of culture. The 

 field used this year for cotton was about 

 20 acres of practically level, sandy 

 ground inclosed by low hills. 



