Mexico, its ancient and modern civilisation, history and political conditions, topography and natural resources, industries and general development; . lourishin certain places as high as 8,000 feet above sea-level;and the extraordinary cactus forms, which in Mexicoare found in their greatest development, grow both onthe high mountain slopes and the tropic lowland will the traveller in Mexico be struck by theimposing organo cactus. This extraordinary growth, inform like a series of organ pipes, from which it takes itsname, or like a huge branching candelabra, arising from asin
Mexico, its ancient and modern civilisation, history and political conditions, topography and natural resources, industries and general development; . lourishin certain places as high as 8,000 feet above sea-level;and the extraordinary cactus forms, which in Mexicoare found in their greatest development, grow both onthe high mountain slopes and the tropic lowland will the traveller in Mexico be struck by theimposing organo cactus. This extraordinary growth, inform like a series of organ pipes, from which it takes itsname, or like a huge branching candelabra, arising from asingle stem, is a marked feature of the landscape. A fewstrokes of a machete, severing the stem of one of thesegreat succulent plants, will bring down the whole structure,weighing many tons. The cactus, especially upon thehigh, arid deserts of the plateau, is a striking example ofa plant contending with the conditions of its environ-ment in the struggle for life. Cacti are veritable cisternsof water, stored up against long periods of absolutedrought, so that they may be able to perform theirfunction of flowering. The organo and other cacti consist. PHYSICAL CONDITIONS 151 of great masses of juicy green cells; and to protect thescarce commodity of water which they have collected fortheir own use from predatory desert beasts and birds,Nature has armed them at every point with an appallingarmour of thorns, or spikes, sharp as steel, and due tothese matters of offence and defence the cactus is enabledto flourish in sterile places where absolutely no othervegetation could exist. Nowhere are these conditions somarked as upon the upper reaches of the high plateau ofMexico, and the variety of the cacti is most the cactus species are some which are of valueâgreat valueâto the human inhabitants. Chief of these isthe maguey {Agave americana), which is indeed one of thestaple resources of the country, with a varied use, as de-scribed in the pages dealing with agriculture.
Size: 1294px × 1931px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1910
