Page:Zacaton as a paper-making material (IA zacatonaspaperma309bran).pdf/12

 BULLETIN

6

tufts furnished the

309,

U.

S.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

raw material

for the first laboratory experiments

with zacaton.

DISTRIBUTION OF ZACATON.

1

The genus Epicampes is exclusively American. About 16 species have been described, some of which, in the opinion of expert agrostologists, would not retain specific rank under critical study. The ranges of the various species extend from California and Texas southward to" the Argentinian Andes Mexico is richest hi number of species, and there also the root-harvesting industry has reached its highest development. E. macroura has been reported from many widely separated localities from Texas to Central America. The collection in the United States National Herbarium embraces specimens from the following localities in Mexico: Canyon de San Diego, State of Chihuahua; San Luis Potosi, State of San Luis Potosi;

Fig.

3.— Longitudinal

section of calm,

X

480,

showing

spiral

and porous

vessels, stereome,

and

thin-

walled parenchyma.

Sayula, State of Jalisco; Morelia, State of Michoacan;

Nevada de

Toluca, Ixtaccihuatl, Popocatepetl, Salazar, Cima, Federal District of Mexico; Eslava, State of Mexico; Mount Orizaba, San Marcos, San

Andres, and San Miguel, State of Puebla. Zacaton grows most profusely in the mountain regions east and west of the City of Mexico. It is especially luxuriant in the districts around Sayula and Toluca, in the States of Jalisco and Mexico, respectively (it will be remembered that the original collection of

Humboldt and Bonpland was made on the mountain of Toluca), is now said to be harvested around Uruapan, in the State of Michoacan. The grass is generally consid-

while the finest quality of roots

ered a pest, but a few attempts to subject it to crude methods of cultivation are reported to have given good results. It is perennial, 1

Many

of the data in this

and the following paragraphs regarding

ing of the roots have been secured from Mr. A.

McEwcn,

distribution, climate,

Frederick,

Md.

and the harvest-