So  Agave  Americana.  {^"Flr;i8^75""- 
it  were  issued  by  the  ancient  Mexican  kings  ;  mention  being  made  of 
a  widow  who  sold  it  promiscuously  having  been  put  to  death  by  order 
of  the  king,  Netzahualcoqatl :  only  women  suckling  infants,  old  people 
and  soldiers  upon  the  march  being  allowed  to  drink  it."  Several  vari- 
eties of  the  plant  are  cultivated  in  Mexico,  each  being  known  for  the 
greater  or  lesser  quantity  of  the  juice  it  produces,  its  color,  whether 
yellow  or  greenish,  its  thickness,  or  sweet  or  bitter  taste.  These 
variations,  as  to  the  properties  or  consistency  of  the  juice  depend  a 
sreat  deal  upon  the  nature  of  the  soil,  and  of  the  range  of  tempera- 
ture ;  thus  it  is  the  least  muciliginous  in  a  somewhat  clayey  soil,  and 
is  cultivated  with  the  greatest  success  at  an  elevation  of  about  9,000 
feet.  Though  the  plant  is  cultivated  very  largely  in  many  parts  ot 
Mexico,  it  is  in  the  plains  of  Apam  that  the  greatest  Agave  district  is 
situated  ;  more  than  600  square  leagues  are  here  almost  covered 
with  the  plant,  either  in  its  wild  or  cultivated  state.  The  mode  of 
propagation  is  by  removing  the  young  plants  or  suckers  from  the  old 
ones,  and  after  spreading  them  on  the  ground  for  two  or  three  months 
to  partially  dry  them,  so  that  they  may  not  rot,  instead  of  starting  into 
growth,  they  are  planted  in  rows,  and  barley  sown  between  them, 
which  is  considered  rather  to  assist  their  growth.  In  a  good  soil  the 
agave  plant  requires  a  period  of  from  ten  to  twelve  years  before  attain- 
ing maturity.  The  plant  upon  attaining  its  full  growth,  which  is 
easily  discernible  by  its  height  and  the  prodigious  extension  of  its 
leaves,  brings  forth  a  tall  stem  crowned  with  yellow  flowers,  and  then 
a  certain  amount  of  pruning  becomes  necessary  so  as  to  form  a  kind  of 
reservoir  in  the  centre,  and  what  is  technically  termed  a  "  cara,"  or 
face,"  around  it,  so  as  to  cause  the  juice  to  flow  towards  the  same 
spot,  and  to  facilitate  the  extraction  of  it  by  removing  some  of  the 
interior  leaves  and  thorns." 
To  collect  the  juice,  or  "  pulque,"  as  it  is  called,  as  soon  as  the 
leaves  begin  to  turn  yellow  a  small  concave  aperture  is  scooped  in  the 
core  of  the  plant,  and  an  elongated  tube-like  gourd,  the  air  in  which 
is  exhausted  by  suction,  is  thrust  into  the  aperture  ;  each  laborer  carries 
with  him,  strapped  to  his  back,  an  impervious  sheepskin  bag,  into  which 
the  gourd  tube  is  emptied  as  soon  as  it  is  filled.  From  50  to  60  plants 
are  usually  alloted  to  the  care  of  one  man,  and  from  these  he  extracts, 
on  an  average,  about  110  to  120  arrobas  of  juice,  called  honey-water, 
per  week.  After  each  plant  has  been  exhaused  of  its  juice, — and  often 
two  collections  are  made  in  one  day — the  apertures  or  incisions  are 
