A Giant Maguey Plant, Mexico
Collection: Americas
Title
A Giant Maguey Plant, Mexico
Subject
Agaves
Description
On verso:
No. 213. A GIANT MAGUEY PLANT, MEXICO.
The Maguey plant, or American aloe, grows to the height of 12 feet in Mexico, and the stem which bears the blossom, rises from the center to a height of 20 feet, when the plant is in a vigorous state. The notion that the plant does not bloom until it is 100 years old (century plant), is erroneous. The time of flowering depends entirely on the rapidity of its growth. In hot countries it flowers in a few years, while in colder latitudes it necessarily is longer in arriving' at maturity. Its cluster of greenish-yellow blossoms is extremely handsome. The plant is very useful. The leaves are used for feeding cattle; the fibre of the leaves (henequen, sisal hemp, pita) yields thread, cord and ropes; slices of the withered flower stem are used as razor strops; the juice of the leaves is used for washing, making a fine lather with either fresh or salt water, and when fermented yields a beverage resembling cider, called “pulque” by the Mexicans.
A8523
Creator
[Ingersoll, T. W. (Truman Ward)]
Source
Canton Township Carnegie Library, Canton KS, USA
Publisher
Canton Township Carnegie Library, Canton KS, USA
Rights
Format
image/jpeg
Language
English
Type
Stereographs
Identifier
213
Citation
[Ingersoll, T. W. (Truman Ward)], “A Giant Maguey Plant, Mexico,” Digital Canton, accessed April 19, 2024, https://canton.digitalsckls.info/item/526.
Original Format
Stereograph
Physical Dimensions
7 x 3.5 inches
Title
A Giant Maguey Plant, Mexico
Subject
Agaves
Description
On verso:
No. 213. A GIANT MAGUEY PLANT, MEXICO.
The Maguey plant, or American aloe, grows to the height of 12 feet in Mexico, and the stem which bears the blossom, rises from the center to a height of 20 feet, when the plant is in a vigorous state. The notion that the plant does not bloom until it is 100 years old (century plant), is erroneous. The time of flowering depends entirely on the rapidity of its growth. In hot countries it flowers in a few years, while in colder latitudes it necessarily is longer in arriving' at maturity. Its cluster of greenish-yellow blossoms is extremely handsome. The plant is very useful. The leaves are used for feeding cattle; the fibre of the leaves (henequen, sisal hemp, pita) yields thread, cord and ropes; slices of the withered flower stem are used as razor strops; the juice of the leaves is used for washing, making a fine lather with either fresh or salt water, and when fermented yields a beverage resembling cider, called “pulque” by the Mexicans.
A8523
Creator
[Ingersoll, T. W. (Truman Ward)]
Source
Canton Township Carnegie Library, Canton KS, USA
Publisher
Canton Township Carnegie Library, Canton KS, USA
Rights
Format
image/jpeg
Language
English
Type
Stereographs
Identifier
213
Citation
[Ingersoll, T. W. (Truman Ward)], “A Giant Maguey Plant, Mexico,” Digital Canton, accessed April 19, 2024, https://canton.digitalsckls.info/item/526.Original Format
Stereograph
Physical Dimensions
7 x 3.5 inches