Mention has been made of _frijoles_. There is more contained in that word--which we should translate as haricot beans, a small white variety--than might be supposed. Next to the _tortilla_ it is the staple article of diet of a good many millions of Mexico's inhabitants. The preparation of the _frijoles_ is simple. They are boiled in an earthen pot until they are cooked, and then fried in lard or other fat. They acquire a rich brown colour, and are appetising and wholesome. Even in the homes of the upper class _frijoles_ are--or were--served as one of the courses, although there is a certain tendency to despise this as a national or _Indian_ dish--a little weakness of advancing civilisation! But beans cooked in the Mexican way might well be adapted in English households, whether for reasons of novelty or economy. In the United States they are used in the form of "Boston baked pork and beans," but are considered a delicacy rather than an article of ordinary diet. The next important item on the Mexican _peones'_ bill of fare is _Chile_. This is the chilli; the pepper-pods of that name, a species of capsicum; the guinea-pepper. The pods are eaten either green, which is their unripe condition, or ripe or sun-dried, when they acquire a scarlet colour. In the first state they are only slightly piquant and are consumed largely, cooked with cheese or pork, which latter favourite dish is known as _Chile con carne_. When red they are exceedingly piquant, but are largely consumed with the _frijoles_ and _tortillas_. They might certainly form a useful article of diet in England or the United States, where they are practically unknown, except in the form of chilli pepper. Potatoes come next in the diet of the _peones_. The Mexican potato, however, seems often to be small and of inferior quality, and probably the soil and climate are not favourable to its production. Camotes and sweet potatoes, however, are excellent.