. Exploration of the valley of the Amazon. ciety in Santiago de Chili. Monday^ September 22.—At 3 30, thermometer, 81°. We are nowon the eastern frontier settlement, where one hundred men are engagedcultivating the coca plant. The seed is planted in rows like maize. Intwo years the bush, five or six feet high, is full grown, bearing brightgreen leaves, two inches long, with white blossoms, and scarlet women and boys are now gathering the ripe leaves, while the menare clearing the fields of weeds. The gathering takes place three timesa year, in cotton bags. The leaf is spread out in
. Exploration of the valley of the Amazon. ciety in Santiago de Chili. Monday^ September 22.—At 3 30, thermometer, 81°. We are nowon the eastern frontier settlement, where one hundred men are engagedcultivating the coca plant. The seed is planted in rows like maize. Intwo years the bush, five or six feet high, is full grown, bearing brightgreen leaves, two inches long, with white blossoms, and scarlet women and boys are now gathering the ripe leaves, while the menare clearing the fields of weeds. The gathering takes place three timesa year, in cotton bags. The leaf is spread out in the sun on mats anddried. In wet weather they are spread under cover, and kept perfectlydry, otherwise the quality is injured, and the market price very muchreduced. The bushes produce from forty to seventy years, when a newplanting becomes necessary. The leaves are put up in cotton clothbales of seventy-five pounds each, and sent to Cuzco, where it sells forfifteen dollars per bale. The Indians masticate the leaf, and sometimes ^ ¥.. ]«? z
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbrazild, bookyear1853
