HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



37 



the name Xonacatl which is given to the onion, and that 

 of Xonocapetec, by which name a certain place has been 

 known fmce the time of the Mexican kings ; they let us 

 underftand that this plant was very ancient in that coun- 

 try, and never tranfplanted there from Europe. 



The Maguei called by the Mexicans, Metl ; by the 

 Spaniards, Pita ; and by many authors, the American 

 aloe, from its being very fimilar to the real aloe, is one 

 of the mod common and moil nfeful plants of Mexico. 

 Hernandez defcribes nineteen fpecies, fliil more dif- 

 ferent in their interior fubllance than in their external 

 form and colour of leaves. In the feventh book of our 

 hillory we fliall have occafion to explain the great advan- 

 tages the Mexicans derived from thefe plants, and the 

 incredible profit the Spaniards now make of them. 



The Iczotl is a fpecies of mountain palm, pretty lofty, 

 and generally with a double trunk. Its branches form 

 the figure of a fan, and its leaves a fpear. Its flowers 

 are white and odorous, which the Spaniards preferve ; 

 and its fruit, at firft fight, refembles the mufa, but is al- 

 together ufelefs. Of its leaves they did formerly and 

 ftill make fine mats ; and the Mexicans got thread from 

 it for their manufactures. 



This is not the only palm of that country. Befides 

 the Royal Falm, fuperior to all others in the beauty of 

 its branches, the cocoa-palm, and the date-palms (i^), 

 there are other fpecies worthy to be mentioned. 



The Quauhcojolli, is a palm of middle fize, whofc 

 trunk is inaccelfible to quadrupeds, from being armed 



round 



(«) Befides the Date palm proper to that country, there is aifo the Barbary 

 date-palm. Dates are fold in the month of June, in the markets of Mexico, 

 Angelopoli, and other cities ; but notwithftanding their fweetnefs they are lit- 

 tle in demand. 



