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scribing them. AU that is known at present is that 

 tlie Araucanians made a bread from them called cov- 

 que^ which name they give to that made from maize 

 or European grain. 



The quinua is a species of chenopodium from 

 three to four feet in height ; it has large rhomboidal 

 sinuated leaves of a deep green, and the flowers are 

 disposed upon long spikes ; the grain is black and 

 spirally twisted, which gives it, of course, a lenticular 

 appearance. There is a variety of this plant called 

 dahue by the Indians, which has greyish leaves, and 

 produces a white grain. The grain of the quinua 

 serves for mxaking a very pleasant stomachic beve- 

 rage ; that of the dahue ^ on being boiled, lengthens 

 out in the form of worms, and is excellent in soup. 

 The leaves are also eaten, and are tender and of an 

 agreeable taste. 



The degul is a species of bean (phaseolus vulga- 

 ris). Before this country was conquered by the 

 Spaniards, thirteen or fourteen kinds of the bean, 

 varying but little from the common European bean, 

 were cultivated by the natives. One of these has a 

 straight stalk, the other thirteen are climbers ; of 

 these, two are very remarkable, the phaseolis pallar, 

 the bean of which is half an inch long, and the pha- 

 seolus asellus, which is spherical and pulpy. 



Chili is considered by M. Bomare as the native 

 soil of that valuable esculent the potatoe (solanum 

 tuberosum) an indigenous American root, likewise 

 known by the name of papa and pognij. It is, indeed, 

 found in all the fields of that country ; but those 

 plants that grow wild, called by the Indians maglia, 



