The Pulque Industry

IN many areas man is quite dependent for a livelihood upon one planteither as a subsistence or as a cash crop. He becomes so dependent as to be practically parasitic, helpless should the plant be taken away. In many tropical areas the banana, or plantain tree acts as a host for man. Deprived of this source of food the primitive peoples of many such regions would perish. Such, in the Valley of Mexico, is the maguey plant, upon which the living of many people depends. To the poor man the leaves serve as a roof. Ropes, string, bags, sandals, and mats are made of the firm fibers of the broad leaves. The heart of the maguey stock is roasted, crushed, and allowed to ferment, and from this pulp the relatively expensive liquor known as mezcal is distilled. But the juice which is extracted from the maguey plant by a very simple operation ferments readily and forms pulque, the common drink of the poor man, sold in great quantities in thousands of pulquerias throughout the country

Agricultural economics · Business · Economics · Botanical Research and Applications