Page:Appleton's Guide to Mexico.djvu/117

Rh The silk-worm (gusano de seda) is raised in the southern states.

Among the arachnida of Mexico are the scorpion (escorpion or alacran) and tarantula, which are found in all the zones.

The centipede (escolopendra or cientopiés) occasionally grows to a length of eighteen inches, and is abundant in the tierra templada and tierra caliente.

In the sub-kingdom of mollusca, we will mention only the pearl-oyster, which occurs on the Pacific coast. The pearl  (perla) fishery at La Paz, in Lower California, is of some importance. The fauna of Mexico has not thus far been fully described.

flora of Mexico consists of an infinite variety of species, on account of the configuration of the country. There is, perhaps, not a single plant known to science that can not be grown in the Republic.

The three zones have each a different flora, which may be described as follows:

In the tierra caliente, the plants consist mostly of tropical fruits, cocoa-palms, dye-woods, sugar-cane, indigo, and cotton.

In the tierra templada, there are bamboo and camphortrees, oaks, cypresses, coffee, tobacco, and the cereals.

In the tierra fria, are found deciduous trees, and conifera like the pine, spruce, cedar, and fir, and the various species of cactus.

Wheat and a few vegetables also grow in the latter region.

Much logwood and Brazil-wood are found in the States