VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL PRODUCTIONS. 357 
The life of the ixtli subjected to this pruning and not 
allowed to flower, may extend to ten years, but usually 
is several years less. 
Bromelia pita produces a much finer and stronger fibre, 
but is not so easy to handle. As these fibres come to 
market they are often confounded, even by the Indios, 
and the term “ pita ” is not infrequently applied to the 
product of agaves, and even of plantains. 
The genus Fourcroya , closely allied to agave, also yields 
valuable fibres. 
Rice. — The upland variety grows remarkably well 
in the bottom-lands of the Chocon River, producing 
two crops a year of very heavy rice. All through 
the logwood country it might profitably be cultivated; 
but up to the present time not enough has been raised 
fairly to determine how much the yield per acre may 
be. There are no suitable rice-mills, and the grain is 
hulled by the rude and wasteful method of pounding 
in mortars. 
Oranges. -— The delusion which has led so many to 
plant orange-trees on the frost-visited sand-banks of 
Florida has at least turned the attention of Americans 
to the desirability of orange-walks not too remote from 
our principal fruit-markets. The Florida oranges, while 
sweet and juicy, are wanting in flavor, especially the 
mandarin variety, which is far inferior to the fruit 
of that variety raised in China. Even the Louisiana 
oranges, which are generally superior to those from 
Florida, are not first-rate, and in both States I have 
seen the foliage utterly destroyed by frost, — an acci¬ 
dent which must seriously interfere with the succeed¬ 
ing crop. As a substitute for these unsuitable regions, 
