plants and vegetables; apples, peaches and pears, and most European fruits; together with pines, guavas, chirimoyas, oranges and lemons, pistachio-nuts, melons, and all the usual productions of the tropics. It likewise has the
Maguey—( Metl—Agave Americana.)
A species of Ananas, or Aloe, from which is drawn the favourite beverage of the lower classes in the central part of the Table-land, a spirituous liquor called Octli, or Pulque.
It is in the States of La Pūēblă, Mēxĭcŏ, Guănăjūātŏ, and a small portion of Văllădŏlīd, that the principal plantations of Măgūēy are found; the most celebrated are those in the vicinity of Chŏlūlă, and in the Llanos de Āpăm, between the towns of Hŭămāntlă, Tlăscălă, Āpăn, and the Capital: the valley of Tŏlūcă is likewise famous for its Pūlquĕ; which is drawn from the extensive Maguey grounds in the vicinity of Lĕrmă: but in general, although the plant is found wild in every part of Mexico, no attempt to extract Pūlquĕ from it, is made, except in the districts which are within reach of the two great towns of La Pūēblă, and Mexico; where, amongst the lower classes of the inhabitants, the consumption is enormous. Before the Revolution, the revenue derived from a very small municipal duty exacted on the Pūlquĕ, at the gates of these towns, averaged 600,000 dollars, and amounted, in 1793, to 817,739 dollars, about 170,000l. sterling.
