The Chemistry of Common Life (Volume 1)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1869 edition. Excerpt: ...and it is said to have been very fatal to Indian life. Many of the Creoles and Mestizos even assert that the Paraguayans have exterminated the VARIETIES AND CONSUMPTION OF MATE. 153 poor Indians by compelling them to the labour of collecting this plant. From the smallest shrubs the finest tea is obtained; but from the same kind of leaves different qualities are procured, according to the mode of preparation, and the kind of weather which prevails. Three principal kinds, however, are prepared and sold in South America under the names of caa-cuys, caa-miri, and caa-guaza--the prefix caa signify ing the leaf itself. The first is prepared from the halfexpanded buds: it will not keep, and its consumption is entirely confined to Paraguay. The second, from the leaf carefully picked and stripped from the nerves before roasting, as was done by the Jesuits. And the third, from the entire foliage, roasted as above described, without any preparation. The two latter varieties are not only used largely in the country of Paraguay, but are exported as far as Lima and Quito.--(hookee.) We have no data from which to calculate the total amount of mate consumed either in the whole of South America or in Paraguay alone. But it must be very large, since the quantity exported from the latter country is about 50,000 quintals, or 5,600,000 lb. a-year. It loses in virtue and flavour, however, and its aromatic bitterness diminishes by exportation and keeping, so that the infusion is drunk in perfection only on the spot where the leaves are gathered and newly dried. In Brazil, a variety of mate called Gongonha is in use. It is prepared from the leaves of two other species of holly, the Ilex gongonha and the Ilex theezans; but I do not know to what extent. In Chili...