Page:Mexico (1829) Volumes 1 and 2.djvu/75

MEXICO. 43 a much smaller size, in England. Its growth is slow, but when arrived at maturity, its leaves are usually from five to eight feet in length, although some considerably exceed these dimensions. In the plantations, the plants are arranged in lines, with an interval of three yards between each. If the soil be good, they require no attention on the part of the proprietor until the period of flowering arrives, at which time the plant first commences to be productive. This period is very uncertain ; ten years, however, may be taken as a fair average, for, in a plantation of one thousand Aloes, it is calculated that one hundred are in flower every year. The Indians, acquainted with the plant, know, by certain signs, almost the very hour at which the stem, or central shoot, which is destined to produce the flower, is about to appear, and they anticipate it, by making a deep incision, and extracting the whole heart, or central portion of the stem, (el corazon,) as a sur- geon would take an arm out of the socket, leaving nothing but the thick outside rind, which forms a natural basin, or well, about two feet in depth, and one-and-a-half in diameter. Into this the sap, intended by nature for the support of the gigantic central shoot, is continually oozing, in such quan- tities, that it is found necessary to remove it twice, and even three times in the day. In order to facilitate this operation, , the leaves on one side are cut away, so as to admit of a free approach : an Indian then inserts a long gourd, (called aco- jote,) the thinner end of which is terminated by a horn, while, at the opposite extremity, a small square hole is left, to which he applies his lips, and extracts the sap by suction. This sap, before it ferments, is called Aguamiel, (honey- water,) and merits the appellation, as it has a very sweet taste, and none of that disagreeable smell, which is after- wards so offensive. From the plant, a small portion of it is transferred to a building prepared for the purpose, where it is allowed to ferment for ten or fifteen days, when it becomes