The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-15
VOL. Xxx.


with pleasure avail myself Of the first leisure mo
nent to reply TO your intsrrosatoriss.
, The tree commonly known In this country 20 the
mesquite was first discovered by DR.. Edwin
James, formerly assistant surgeon In the United
States army, while attached to Col. Longs explor-
ing expedition to tho Rocky Mountains, thirtyEx
years ago. It il variety Of tho acacia, which u
found 30 abundantly in India, Africa, and other
parts OF the East, AID possesses many properties In
common with other species Of that group Of pAntss
What the exact geographical range Of this tree u,
We are - yet unable with great portion Of our ter
iitory unexplored) to define; my own observationn,
however, warrant me Ia asserting confidently thst
il u only ndEenous to the great plains OF the West
and South, extending far beyond the limits Of most
other varieties of trees and It would seem from its
locality to have been planted by an Advise Provi
dence with special reference to the wants Of the 90
cupants Of section Of country suited to the growth
Of no other tree.
Between the twenty sixth and thirty sixth parallels
Of north latitude, within the ninety and one
hundred and third mesidians OF longitude, u IL
woodland and is indeed, al most tho only sylvia Of
the section. II Is also found In vary many places
between the Rocky Mountain range and the Pacific
ocean but it appears TO flourish better and to Oh.
tain greater Dimensions in the vicinity OF the ella
river than In any other locality have heard Of west
Of the Rio del Norte.
In going north from the parallel OF thirtythree
degrees, Tin the direction | have travelle H. tho
trees gradually become smaller and smaller, until
ct last they are mere bushes, and finally, on arrv-
ing near the latitude Of thirtyax degrees, they en-
tirely disappear.
The vast geographical range Of the mesquite
tree, covering "a 1t does an area Of moro shan
500 900 50 uaSe miles, and its many useful proper
ties, some of which win DO enumerated in the So
quel, renders it available and have doubt It Ia
destined to become highly important 10 the future
occupants Of large section Of or new territory.
1t Is atree OF snort, scrubby grov tine stock
averaging from four to fifteen inches in diameter
and seldom attaining height, intending ita top. OF
more than twenty teet. The limbs arc short, crook.
ed and tiickly studded with ong sharp thorDs; the
leaves pinnated, and th4 leaflets are long and clip
tical; the bark dark gray, resembling that Of
the peach tree the good rae grained, very brit
Ne and the heart, which constitutes nearly the On.
tire tree somewhat like the darker varieties Of ma
II burns readily, even when green, with bright,
cheerfulfame, leaving residue OF Goals almost as
perfect in form as she original wood, making o
very hot fire, and Is. indeed, the best f0el have
ever seen, hickory not excepted.
1t possesses durability In an eminent deg zee,
and Is, In consequence, mu b used Tor building
and fe! cling, in southern Texas and Mexico. AZ
an evidence OF its lasting qualities, have seen
pieces OF the wood, In perfect state Of prcserva-
zion. embedded in the stones of an old ruin upon
the Nueces river, In Texas, VIII CHI mast have been
exposed to the weather for scores OF years, as
many Of the stones had become disiategrated.
and ernmbled away with age, while the wood re-
manned sound.
The mesquite is often found upon very elevated and
arid prairiss far from water courses, bu viii, be-
leve only grow upon sod OF the first quality; and 30
well s this fact established tn the mesquite groves
or fats" as they are called, are sought after la
western Texas as the mo desirable Spots for Guilt
vationi and they have thus far proved ex eedingy
productive. a44
The trees stand at vide intervals, upon ground
covered with o dense carpet Of verdare and
stranger. aDur0aGhinU nj tina
resist ire impression tnat ne nas o peach orchard
before him, so striking Is the resemblance.
Tne blossoms put forth IN Jane. and fruit
appears In thu form Il long, slender bean, from
which the Mexcans make cooling and pleasant
beverase. These bans ripeD In September, when
they fall to the gronnd and af I'd susteaancs TO Wild
| no ses, deer, antelope and turkeys.
The pod is highly sacchatine aud tTi,icns, aud
IL used Tor 4 cd by the paryes Of the plAas, IS wen
as those west OF the Rocky Mountains. Toe Indians
upon the Colos!a snd la rivers pulyerise aud press
them into cakes, which said - be very paatable.
They make most excellent forage for horses and
mules, and there are many instances where they
have suf tanned these OF the California emigrants
frompsrishirg upon of those long and tiresome
jorradas," or sandy and barren dcsarts, towards
the Pacific.
tree very similar to the mesquite, called the
carcb tree, Is found 10 the south Of Spaia. t af
fords bf an like the mesquite, which is imported
under the name Of the Alquaroba BEAM Il Is
made use Of for food In Spain, and 10 there called
est. Johns bread" II was this bean that often
constituted the only forage of the Engiish cavalry
horses during the war OF 1911 and IL.
The species Of acacia from which the gum arabic
withered looking, low tfee with crooked stem aud
the mesquite.
The gum Of the mesquite sxudes from the trunk
and branches wherever there Is an abrasion In the
bark. 1t u also pro3uced when q cut Is made with
sharp instrument, in the same manner as the sap
10 drawn from the sugar maple. II commences exud-
ing in July, and continues until the last of Sep
"a. in n m i-traU ~oul and
nearly hud state, but sJ0a hardens by exposure to
the sun and air; and II there is NO RAIN land there
seldom any a this season. It forms upon the bark
10 gobues as large as hens egg and can DO col.
leoted In large quantities, and have no doubt IL
will eventually become an Important Article of COM
Terce answering all the purposes Of the gum arabic
| Specimens OF the gum which collected last su m
mer, were submitted 70 d.. John Torrey, who has
returned to me the following remarks upon the sub
cSs, wnicn, coming from so distinguished source,
"Tbe collection Of plants made by Dr. Jsmes in
bis expedition to the 'cky Mountains was submit
ted 70 me for exaufsa alton. an accoun. OF which,
with descriptions Of oil the species that il con-
tanned, published in the ANNALS OF the New York
L cenn Of Natural History" in 1877. Ivol 2, Do.
l6l2641 The mesquite was found TO be new
Ieave the name OF p. gtandu,osa, and . figure OF
the plant accompanied the description TIE emf.
nent botanist, Mr. Bsnfhsm, who has made special
study Of the leguminosee, considers the section
&garobia OF Proeopts rs distinct genus. His
views were adopted In t7e "Fiora Of North Anne.
RIGA by DR.. Gray and myself 80 that the plant is
there dtssibed as "alaarobia glandulsss." ITorr.
and Gray, IL. N. Amer, !, up. 1901 Twelve or
more other species are natives OF Mexico and tho
western coast Of South America. All Of them bear
long, compressed pod, which Is filed with sweet
nutrieious pulp IRE mesquite pods we're used ~
lood py MAJOR Longs party. They constitute also,
most valuable fodder for amin ais.
For several years have own that gum allied
TO gum arabic exndtd fiom the trees, especially
where they were wounded. Specimens of the gum
were long ago brought TO me BY dare nj travellers.
hom New Mexico and Western Texas; bat never
examined the subsa particularly till received
supply OF II from you few da,s ago. A. your