AGAVE, a genus of remarkable and beau tiful plants, of the family Arnaryllidacee, hav ing a tubular perianth with 6-partite limb and triangular many-seeded capsule. They resemble aloes in their growth and general appearance, and the best-known species, Agave aniericana, is sometimes known as the American aloe. This is a large plant, the leaves of which are thick, fleshy and spiny-toothed at the edge, and the stem branched and of great height. The flowers have the tube of the corolla nar rowed in the middle, the stamens longer than the corolla and the style longer than the stamens. This magnificent native of North America, probably of Mexico, is by no means an uncommon plant in gardens, but is seldom i seen there in flower. There is indeed a notion, but an erroneous one, that the American aloe does not bloom until it is 100 years old. The fact is that the time of flowering depends al most wholly on the rapidity of its growth. In hot countries it will flower in a few years, but in colder climates, the growth being slower, it is necessarily longer in arriving at maturity.
The stern, which bears the blossoms, rises from the centre of the leaves and when the plant is in a vigorous state it frequently ex ceeds the height of 20 feet.. Branches issue from every side and in such a manner as to form a kind of pyramid, composed of greenish yellow flowers, which stand erect and are seen in thick clusters at every joint. When in full flower its appearance is extremely splendid; and if the season be favorable, and the plant be sheltered from the cold in autumn, a succession of blossoms will sometimes be produced for nearly three months. In the warmer parts of Europe the American aloe is cultivated as an object of considerable utility. They are fre quently set out in rows as fences for enclosures, particularly in Spain, Portugal and Italy. In some parts the leaves are employed for scour ing pewter, kitchen utensils and floors. The juice of these leaves is made into cakes, which are used for washing and will make lather with salt water as well as with fresh. The sap of
certain species when fermented yields a bever age resembling cider, called by the Mexicans intlque. By distillation it yields two intoxicat ing beverages very widely used in mescal and tequila. The leaves are used for feeding cattle; the fibres of the leaves (called pita, sisal hemp or henequen) are formed into thread, cord and ropes. The leaves also, roasted, were formerly used for food by the Indians.
AGE, any period of time attributed to something as the whole, or part, of its duration; as the age of man, the several ages of the world, the Golden Age.
In law, the time of competence to do cer tain acts. In the male sex 14 is the age when partial discretion is supposed to be reached, while 21 is the period of full age. Under seven no boy can be capitally punished; from seven to 14 it is doubtful if he can; at 14 he may. At 12 a girl can contract a binding marriage; at 21 she is of full age. In mediaeval times, when a girl reached seven, by feudal custom or law a lord might distrain his tenants for aid to marry, or, rather, betroth her; at nine she was dowable; at 12 she could confirm consent to marriage which she had previously given; at 14 she could take the management of her lands into her own hands; at 16 she ceased, as is still the law in England, to be under the control of her guardian; and at 21 she might alienate lands and tenements belonging to her in her own right. At common law the age of discretion for female infants was 12 and the age of consent to unlawful carnal intercourse was 10, but by recent legislation the age of consent has been raised in the United States to 14, 15, 16 and, in several States, to 18 years. For the modern law of infancy consult Schou ler, (Treatise on the Domestic Relations) (Bos ton 1870). In the United States at 25 years of age a man may be a representative in Congress; at 30 a Senator and at 35 he may be chosen President. The age of serving in the militia is from 18 to 45 inclusive.