Jan. I, 1903. J 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
481 
NEW FOOD PLANTS IN YUCATAN. 
The gardens and fields of Yucatan are filled wiih 
succulent vegetables and sweeb siujlling herbs un- 
known to the outer world. In the cultivated fields 
at the proper season are grown Indian corn, beans, 
and tubers for which we have no name, for the 
reason that they have been neither seen nor heard 
of outside Yucatan. The forests and jangles can- 
tain fruits that, excellent even in their wild state, 
could be made delicious by scientific care and 
cultivation. There are many wild fruits that offer 
more promising results than did the bitter wild 
almond, the progenitor of the peach. 
The most important of the large cereals is the 
MAIZE OP THE MEXICANS, 
the Indian corn of the Americans, and the 
xim of the Mayas of Yucatan. Like several 
other vegetable products, its origin as a cul- 
tivated plant is enveloped in obscurity, the 
wild plant from whichit was evolved not yet 
having been identified. Many believe that the 
cultivated plant had its origin .somewhere between 
Yucatan and the tableland of Mexico. The mother 
plant was probably a grass and the new grain 
spread to all parts, each one giving it certain 
characteristics until the varieties grown in the 
north h.irdly seem related to those of the southern 
lands. The United States Consul at Proeres says 
that Yucatan has six varieties of this grain, and 
the Maya Indian reverently speaks of it as the 
" grace of God." The long stalked, large grained 
class known to the natives as xnuc nal, is the 
most prominent, and has by far the greatest acreage 
devoted to its cultivation in Yucatan. It is 
planted in May, is fully matured in .January, and 
then is lefc to harden an.l season until gathered 
as needed. This class most nearly resembles the 
Indian corn of the United States. It has both 
the white and yellow grains. Under the haphazard 
methods of the native Indians, the corn produces 
in the limestone soil of Yucatan from 20 to 30 
bushels to the acre. Under favourable conditions 
this yield is often doubled. The xmehenal is 
a siHall, quick growing variety, and the plants 
are rarely 4 feet high. The natives have a saying 
" that tiie cock can pick the flowers of the irue 
xmehenal without stepping otY the ground." One 
variety matures within sixty days of its planting, 
and the second needs fifteen days more. Tlie 
xmehenal xtup, planted in May, can be gathered 
in July, and while the production per acre does 
not quite reach the figures of the xnuc nal, it 
has a greater capacity of resisting the extremes 
of heat and dryness. The plant or rather the 
running vine, known as the macal box, produces 
a tuberous root of great nutritive value. Entire 
families have lived upon this root for weeks at 
a time and were healthy and apparently well 
nou'ishect. This plant is very productive. About 
the middle of May the green shoots first appear 
nbove the earth, they grow rapidly, and in 
November are ready to be dug. The tuber is 
about the size of a large potato, and is of a 
purplish colour, like a certain class of sweet 
potato, and it can be cooked in the same way as 
a sweet potato. The plant is hardy. A long 
drought may cause the vine to wither, bub wiih 
the lightest rain it springs np anew. The roots 
left in the ground as too small for food propagate 
the plant, and each year the yield increases. It 
seems to be a kind of native yam : it grows in 
tkltuoat any kind of moderate rich soil, and when 
cultivated intelligently should be of some value 
as a food plant. The xinakin mcKal, like the 
macal box, appears in May and is gatliereil in 
November, but it yields only one or two tubers 
to the plant. These however, are of Ifit-ce size, 
resembling enormous potatoes. The interior is 
white and seems to be nearly pure starch. The 
plants grow close together and the yield per acre 
is said to be phenomenal. X^mchenchi can seems 
to be a kind of artichoke, weighing when mature 
about a pound. The plants are running vines, 
rarely more than a yard long. An acre will yield 
an immense crop under favourable conditions. 
The plant sown August, can be gathered in Novcm- 
l)cr. Xnucchi can is a larger root, weighing when 
mature about three pounds. It is a hardy plant 
and produces well. Both of these roots are eaten, 
roasted or boiled, cind many like them xa.\y. —Jour- 
nal of the Society of Arts, Sept. 26. 
♦ 
TRADE OF SIERRA LEONE. 
EUCnER. 
The following comparative statement shows the 
quantity and value of rubber exported from the 
Colony to the under-mentioned countries during 
],900 and 1901 :— 
Quantity. Value. 
1900. 
1901. 
1900. . 
1901 
lb. 
lb. 
£ 
£ 
Uuited Kingdom. 
..244,.316 
105,360 
22,335 
7,174 
Germany ... 
. 30,330 
26,295 
3,406 
2,029 
Other Couutrieg 
.274,646 
131,655 
25,741 
9,203 
The trade in rubber has declined owing to the 
article sretting gradually less, and higher prices 
being offered in the adjoining Colony of French 
Guinea, as well as to the wasteful method by which 
it was gathered. In French Guinea the price is 
2s. per lb., and only the best rubber is allowed to 
he exported, i.e. rubber containing not more than 
1 per cent of dirty matter mixed with it, whereas in 
Sierra Leone good quality rubber and dirty adul- 
terated rubber are both bought by merchants at 
prices varying from Is to Is 8d. per lb, 
PALM KERNELS 4ND PALM OIL. 
In palm kernels there was a slight decrease in 
1901, over 1900, although the market value re- 
mained the same. 1 he figures were as follows : — 
Palm Kernels. Palm Oil. 
Tons, £ Gallons £ 
1900 21,517 171,774 128^03 7.436 
1901 ,. 161,749 131,655 116,310 9,816 
There is great scope for the extension of the palm 
oil and kernel trade ; it is the difficulty of trans- 
port which has to be overcome. Unlike rubber, 
which can be more easily handled, and, owing to 
its greater value, can better bear the disproportion- 
ate exjiense of the carriage by head — which is tlie 
only land transport obtainable in the greater part 
of the Protectorate— the palm kernel or palm oil 
cannot reach a shippintr port from any distance in 
the interior before the cost of transport exceeds 
its value. The completion of the railway will re- 
volutionize the trade in thi^^ product, and be the 
means of bringing to the port the thousands of tons 
of kernels that at present are allowed to rot. — 
London Chamber of Coinmcixe Jounud, Nov, 
