you can hear the plump, plump of the metate from the alcoves of the vines where comfortable old dames, whose experience gives them the touch of art, are pounding out corn for tamales.

THE STEAM COOKER VEGETABLE PRESS LEMON DRILL THE HANDY WAITER WALL CABINET PERCOLATER HOLDER KNEADING TABLE DISH TOWEL RACK VEGETABLE BRUSH A DOUBLE BOILER SECTIONAL VIEW OF WHEAT KERNEL MEASURING CUPS BREAD PAN MEXICAN WOMEN MAKING TORTILLAS STONE METATE GEM IRONS PERFORATED SHEET IRON PAN FOR ROLLS MAKING UNFERMENTED BREAD CANNING UTENSILS

The corn, previously softened by soaking in lime water, is ground to a fine paste between a stone slab and roller called a metate, then patted and tossed from hand to hand until flattened into thin, wafer-like cakes, and baked over a quick fire, on a thin iron plate or a flat stone.

[Illustration: Stone Metate.]