J02 
Agave  Americana, 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\       July,  1876. 
The  generic  name  "  altered  from  the  Greek,  dyauoz,  wonderful,  is 
not  inappropriate  as  applied  to  A.  Americana  "  (Gray),  or  to  the  A. 
pulque,  or  Mexicana,  which  has  for  many  centuries  been  known  to  the 
Mexicans  as  the  Maguey,  or  tree  of  wonders. 
The  term,  "  Sisal  hemp,"  is  more  especially  applied  to  the  species 
Americana;  Sisal,  Yucatan  being  the  principal  port  of  exportation  for 
the  fibre  or  hemp  prepared  from  the  leaves. 
This  evergreen  multennial  of  the  order  Amaryllidaceae,  produces 
from  the  crown  of  a  very  short  cylindrical  base  a  vast  cluster  of  fleshy, 
stiff,  oblong-lanceolate  leaves,  having  short  spines  on  the  edges,  and 
terminating  in  a  strong  black  spine.  The  leaves  are  from  3  to  8  and 
even  10  feet  in  length,  the  first  being  the  shortest,  from  3  to  7  and 
even  15  inches  in  width,  and  1  to  4  inches  or  more  thick. 
After  the  growth  of  the  plant  has  sufficiently  advanced  and  nearly 
all  the  leaves  have  unfolded,  there  pushes  forth  from  the  center,  with 
rapid  growth,  a  gigantic  flower-stalk,  from  3  to  8  inches  in  diameter  at 
the  base,  which,  in  Florida,  reaches  the  height  of  from  15  to  30  feet 
within  a  few  months.  When  this  shoots  up,  it  carries  with  it  the 
small  innermost  leaves,  which  at  regular  intervals  are  produced  as  ap- 
pressed,  lanceolate-pointed  bracts.  These  bracts  are  from  4  to  6  inches 
apart  on  the  lower  part  of  the  stalk,  becoming  closer  together  as  it  in- 
creases in  height,  until  at  the  extreme  top  they  quite  adjoin  each  other. 
The  upper  third  of  the  stalk  is  branched,  each  branch,  or  arm, 
being  repeatedly  divided  into  three  branchlets,  the  branches  becoming 
gradually  shorter  above,  so  that  the  inflorescence  presents  the  form  of 
a  circular  pyramid  of  perfect  symmetry,  each  branchlet  bearing  a  cluster 
of  small,  erect  liliaceous  flowers,  of  a  greenish-yellow  color. 
A  surprising  fact  is,  that  the  roots  of  so  large  a  plant  should  be  so 
few  and  small,  being  apparently  insufficient  to  retain  it  in  an  upright 
position.  They  are  cylindrical  and  wavy,  \  to  \  inch  in  thickness,  6 
to  24  inches  long,  having  a  thin,  brownish  epidermis,  under  which  is 
a  second  thin  tissue  of  a  deep  red  color;  the  rest  consisting  of  a  bun- 
dle of  strong  white  woody  fibres,  with  little  parenchyma.  All  the  roots 
of  a  full  grown  plant  will  scarcely  weigh  4  ounces. 
It  is  propagated  by  seeds  and  suckers,  both  being  produced  simul- 
taneously. It  is  viviparous,  the  seeds  always  germinating  on  the  plant. 
The  young  plant,  or  "  onion,"  as  it  is  called,  frequently  grows  4  to  6 
inches  high  before  dropping  from  the  parent  plant.    Mr.  E.  C.  Howe, 
