Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
July,  1900. 
Cultivation  of  Agaves. 
331 
When  the  pulque  agave  has  reached  maturity  and  is  about  to 
bloom,  a  great  upward  flow  of  sap  takes  place.  This  sap,  called 
"aguamiel,"  or  honey- water,  is  very  sweet,  and  is  much  liked  by 
the  Mexicans  and  Indians.  At  this  time  the  central  bud  is  cut  out, 
leaving  a  cavity  large  enough  to  hold  a  gallon  or  two  of  liquid. 
The  sap  exudes  into  this  cavity,  and  is  removed  twice  a  day,  being 
drawn  out  by  suction  into  a  long  narrow  gourd  and  emptied  into  a 
pigskin  or  clay  pot.  The  surface  of  the  bowl  or  cavity  is  scraped 
each  day  to  increase  the  flow  of  sap,  and  the  outer  leaves  are  bent 
over  and  fastened  together  to  prevent  too  rapid  evaporation.  Some 
plants  produce  an  average  of  two  gallons  a  day  for  several  months. 
The  sap  or  "  aguamiel "  at  this  stage  is  clear  green,  yellowish  or 
whitish  and  mucilaginous,  according  to  the  species,  and  rapidly  fer- 
ments, becoming  milky  by  the  formation  ot  carbonic  acid.  It  then 
tastes  like  cider.  To  prevent  too  rapid  fermentation,  for  in  a  few 
hours  it  would  become  vinegar,  the  sweet  pulque  is  poured  into  a 
"  tinacai,"  a  square  vat  made  of  raw  oxhide,  and  to  it  are  added  an 
equal  amount  of  milk  and  a  slight  amount  of  liquid  rennet.  The 
pulque  soon  acquires  a  strong  yeasty  or  cheesy  odor  and  tastes  like 
stale  buttermilk. 
The  Mexicans  consider  pulque  stomachic,  an  aid  to  digestion  and 
sleep,  and  an  excellent  remedy  in  many  diseases.  If  one  can  get 
accustomed  to  the  odor  of  sour  milk  and  slightly  tainted  meat,  the 
liquor  is  said  to  be  cooling,  palatable  and  nutritious.  It  contains 
about  7  per  cent,  of  alcohol,  and  when  imbibed  in  large  quantities  is 
quite  intoxicating. 
The  distilled  drink,  called  "  aguardiente  de  maguey,"  "  mezcal," 
or  "tequila,"  is  a  fiery  liquor  resembling  strong  rum,  and  is  made 
from  certain  other  species  of  agaves,  called  mezcal  magueys,  having 
thinner  and  narrower  leaves.  The  natives  of  the  mountain  regions 
make  their  mezcal  from  several  wild  species,  but  the  tequila  maguey 
is  cultivated  in  large  plantations,  particularly  in  the  State  of  Jaliseo. 
The  Indians  of  Arizona  make  mezcal  from  Agave  palmeri. 
FOOD. 
Certain  agaves  of  our  Southwestern  States  and  Territories  are 
much  prized  by  the  Indians  as  food. 
These  have  short  broad  leaves  and  are  called  "  Mezcal,"  the 
species  most  highly  prized  being  A.  palmeri,  A.  applanata  parry i  and 
