The leaves of several other plants, like the Concord grape, Centaurias, etc., are covered in a manner similar to the leaf of the thistle. The branching hairs of the mullein and leaves of buttonwood, when very young, are like those of the thistle, only the extremities are not sticky.

In the New Testament we read, "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin." This was. not said of thistles nor of grape vines.

The thread of the thistle is single and slowly drawn out. Perhaps it may be called a clumsy affair when compared to the delicate cable of the spider, with its numerous strands. The thread of the thistle answers well enough the purposes for

Fic.8

which it is intended. It Margin of scale of involucre, full grown.
protects the plant from sudden changes of weather, a
keeps the rain from wetting the surface, and probably
to some extent keeps enemies from injuring the plant.

Scale of

C. altissi

There is one other fact of interest about the thistle under consideration. When full-grown the scales about the heads of flowers have each an oblong gland just at the apex where the spine starts up. Fig. 7 shows this FIO. gland. The object of the gland I am as yet unable to determine. It may and probably does attract insects. mum,showIt often entraps them. I have many times seen six to ing gland ten small flies and Hymenoptera, some of them half inch in length, held fast by mouth or legs or wings. Here they buzz and twist and pull till strength and life are exhausted. Whether this is of any use to the plant for food or amusement, to keep away larger insects, or to attract spiders or ants, I have not yet ascertained.

an

at a.

PLANTS USED BY THE INDIANS OF THE UNITED

STATES.

BY DR. EDWARD PALMER.

[Concluded.]

It

Textile Plants.-Yucca baccata. This is one of the most useful plants to the Indians of New Mexico, Arizona, and Southern California. Its fruit is eaten while fresh and in the dry state. grows from two to eighteen feet in height, and becomes a tall tree further southward, varying in diameter from eight to twenty inches. The bodies of these plants are very fibrous. The Indians and Mexicans when in want of soap cut the stems into slices, beat them into a pulp, and mix them with the water in washing as a substitute for soap, for which it answers finely. The leaves are generally about two feet in length and are very fibrous. In order to remove the bast the leaves are first soaked in water, then pounded with a wooden mallet, at the same time occasionally plunged into water to remove the liberated epidermis. Then if not sufficiently clean and white it is returned to the water for a time and again put through the beating process; generally the second course is sufficient. The fibres of the leaves being strong, long and durable are adapted for Indian manufactures, and the savages of Southern California make therefrom excellent horse blankets. All the tribes living in the country where this plant is found, use it to make ropes, twine, nets, hats, hair brushes, shoes, and mattresses.

The Diegeno Indians of Southern California have brought the uses of this plant to notice by the various articles they make from its fibres, and sell to white settlers. In preparing a warp for the manufacture of saddle blankets, it is first loosely twisted, then when wanted it receives a firmer twist. If the blanket is to be ornamented, a part of the warp during the first process, is dyed a claret brown, oak bark being used for that purpose. The loom in use among the Indians of to-day is original with themselves, and not borrowed, as some suppose, from the Spaniards. It is a simple affair consisting of two round, strong, short poles, one suspended and the other fastened to the ground. Upon these is arranged the warp. Two long wooden needles with eyes are threaded with the filling which is more loosely twisted than the warp, in order to give substance or body to the blanket. Each time that the filling is thrust between the threads of the warp by

one hand, the Indian female with a long, wide, wooden implement in the other hand, beats it into place. This tool resembles a carving-knife, but is much larger and longer. One edge is thin, and in this is made a number of teeth or notches not so sharp as to cut.

This plant so fibrous, and so abundant on land utterly worthless for the growth of anything more valuable, can be had for the gathering; and as paper materials are scarce, either alone or mixed with straw, would be valuable in the manufacture of that article.

Y. brevifolia. The leaves of this plant are short, and not useful for Indian purposes, but it produces abundance of large seeds which contain much nutrition; they are ground fine, and either eaten raw or cooked in the form of mush by Southern California Indians. Vast tracts are covered with it, which assume a forest-like appearance about the Mojave river, Southern California, having trunks from ten inches to two feet in diameter, and twenty-five feet high, with numerous branches. Not only is the leaf fibrous, but the body is more so. As raw material for paper

it is excellent.

Y. whipplei.-This plant in bloom is one of the finest garden ornaments, very common over most parts of California. The young flowering stems while in their tender condition, are eaten either raw or roasted by the Indians. The seeds are gathered, ground into flour, and eaten. The leaves yield a very soft white fibre which is capable of being made into very nice thread. Indians use this fibre to form a padding to their horse blankets, the outer part of which being made of the fibre from the Yucca baccata is very rough. A wooden needle is threaded with twine made from the same fibre, and the lining is firmly quilted to the saddle blanket forming a soft covering without which it would injure the animal's back.

Y. angustifolia, a very common plant in Utah and Arizona; the leaves yield the softest fibre of all the Yuccas; and, like all of them, is adapted to manufacturing purposes, especially for paper. The young flowering stems are used by Indians after the manner of asparagus; the same may be said of all the Agaves and Yuccas. They are eaten cooked or raw, and are not to be despised. The root is used after being pounded up as a substitute for soap.

Agave utahense.-The Pah-Utes strip the leaves from the heart

of the plants of this species, then heat stones, upon which the hearts are laid, the youngest leaves are next placed on, then weeds or grass, and finally, a coating of earth over all. This kiln. remains three days, or until the contents are cooked, then it is uncovered. The hearts are either consumed as food immediately, or pounded fine, and pressed into flat, long, irregular-shaped cakes, about ten inches wide and fifteen long. They have a pleasant sweet taste, but the dirty black color might be objectionable to some. It is very nutritious, and the Indians of Utah become quite fat while living upon it. The tender inner leaves baked with the hearts are pounded and pressed by the hands into flat cakes, but are not so sweet or palatable as the hearts, and are full of fibres of a brown color. Its fibrous nature adapts these cakes for transportation. Indians in traveling or hunting, carry them tucked under their belts, and take off pieces as they go along to chew, spitting out the fibre or use it for gun wads. The hearts of all the Agaves when roasted yield this palatable kind of food.

A. deserti. This is on the whole one of the most useful of natural productions to the Arizona, New Mexican and Lower California Indians. The heart of the plant after being roasted is a nutritious article of diet; from it is distilled a strong liquid called mescal by Mexicans; the seeds are ground into flour and eaten ; the leaves are long and very fibrous and are cleaned like those of Yucca baccata. Sometimes after the leaves are dead and quite dry they are pounded until the epidermis is separated. The fibre thus cleaned is not so smooth and white as that soaked first in water, but very strong and durable ropes, mats, nets and sewing thread are made therefrom. This is a very abundant plant, covering many thousands of acres of land, unfit to grow anything more useful. A plant that contains so much fibre, surpassing in length and strength many other fibres in use for cordage and for paper, must some day be cultivated on the desert wastes of the United States.

A. shawii, one of the finest garden plants, but the fibre is only suitable for paper, being short. The Indians are very fond of a sweet honey-like nectar found in the base of its flowers; in fact it tastes like honey and water. It is only found near San Diego, California.

Willow trees.-Those along the Colorado river, Arizona, yield

abundance of long, soft bark, from which the Indians on this stream make ropes and twine for domestic purposes as well as sandals and mats. The females generally dress scantily, only that part of the body from the waist to the knees is hidden from view. This custom is observed by most of the Indian females living along the Colorado river. They strip off the bark from the willow trees and bury it in blue mud for a few days, after which it is taken out, washed clean and dried. It is now soft, pliable, and easily handled. Being cut into requisite lengths, they are fastened very thickly to a belt of the wearer.

The Colorado river Indians are said to make a fine drink from the flowers of the willows.

Apocynum cannabinum.—The Indians of Southern Utah, California and Arizona use the fibre prepared from the stems of this plant to make ropes, twine and nets; and before the advent of Europeans it was used in the manufacture of various articles of clothing. In order to remove the fibre the woody stems are first soaked in water, the bast with the bark is then easily removed. The latter being washed off, leaves a soft, silky fibre of a yellowishbrown color, which is very strong and durable. I have seen ropes made of it that have been in constant use for years.

Urtica holosericea.-The fibre of this plant is used by the Indians of Southern California to make their bow strings. In order to separate the fibre the plant has to go through the same process as hemp; its fibre resembling that of the latter, being equally strong and durable.

Cowania mexicana-This tree before the advent of Europeans was the great source from which the Nevada and Utah Indians obtained the materials for their dress goods. The outer bark is rough, but the inner is soft, silky and pliable, and of a brownish color. It is removed in long strips, varying in width, a desirable quality in a bark that is used in the manufacture of clothing, sandals and ropes. These articles were formerly made by braiding strips of bark together, or woven with the hand loom. Females made skirts from strips of this bark by braiding a belt to which they suspended many strips of the same material, hanging down to the knees like a long fringe; the rest of the person was naked in summer. Mats were also made from this bark which were used as beds.

Medicines-Chlorogalum pomeridianum, common soap root of