Arboriculture and Horticulture

An estimated one-third of the cultivated species in Mesoamerica at the time of conquest were trees, a claim that is probably applicable to all of Middle America (PaJerm 1967: 42). The importance of arboricultural and horticultural species throughout Midd]e America is witnessed by the large number of vegetables (e.g., chilies, tomatoes) and arboreal and non-arboreal fruit, condiment, fiber, and ornamental species domesticated and grown. This importance long predates the eve of conquest (Turner and Miksicek 1984) and its impacts can still be found in the array of economic trees and shrubs found in some forests and in the variety characteristic of Middle American household gardens (Gomez-Pompa, Salvador Flores, and Sosa 1987).

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