THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 
55 
ket than coffee, the whole operation not lasting more than 
thirty-six hours. 
The full-grown yerba plant is usually about the size of 
an orange tree, though it sometimes grows as high as 
twenty feet, with a trunk measuring over three feet in cir- 
cumference. Its leaves are described as perennial, rather 
thick and coriaceous, with strong mid-ribs. The trrmk and 
branches have a somewhat velvety appearance, due to a fine, 
fuzzy growth on the bark. The flowers are small, white and 
four-parted. The fruit is red, about the size of a grain oE 
pepper, and contains four very hard-coated seeds. 
The harvesting of yerba includes gathering both leaves 
and twigs. The first crop is taken when the plants are four 
or five years old, care being had not to remove more than 
one-fifth or one-fourth of the leaves from each tree. At six 
or seven years of age the crop from each plant should aver- 
age sixty to eighty pounds, including uncured leaves and 
twigs. Even good-sized branches are often harvested, as 
the crop can thus be much more quickly gathered than if 
only the leaves are picked, although the woody parts inpair 
the quality of the beverage, and, indeed, the best kind is 
made from selected leaves only. Yerba of this grade, how- 
ever, is not found ;n the general market, as its cost is sev- 
eral times greater than when twigs and small branches are 
included in the gathering. 
The beverage is given one of four names — "mate am- 
argo." having a bitter taste; "mate duke," sweetened mate; 
"con leche," when prepared with milk, and "cocoa mate," 
if mixed with cocoanut.— Fro-wt an Article in Tea and Coffee 
Trade Journal 
