The Arizona sentinel. [volume] (Arizona City [Yuma], Yuma County, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1872-1911, 1878-09-07
The Arizona Mesquite.


be OF considerable Importance has recently
sprung up in the West. The mesquite, Il
common tree of the deserts, and closely
allied, botanically, to the acnCin, yields,
like the latter, n gum which closely rcseIil
bles and in fact is almost Identical with
gum acacia (the gum arabic of commerce)
This gum was brought to notice rs long
ago as 1864, by DR.. Shumard, of the United
States army. 1t has for some time been
kept III the drug stores of the Mexican
cities, and considerable quantities have
been sent to san Francisco from the Mex
lean ports of the Pacific. During the past
year it has become an article of export,
some 1900 lbs. having been gathered in
BeXar county, Texas, and as much more
between that and the coast
The mesquite is the Mexican iinihe for a
leguminous tree belonging, like the gum
arabic producing acacia, to the subortler
Mimosa. 1t is tree growing from 80 to
40 feet in hight, with rounded head. 1t
bears, in its general aspect, great resem-
ditschia); its leayes are twice-pinnate,
and the leaflets narrow; somewhat curved,
and an inch or more in length; the flowers
are small, greenish-y yellow, and crowded
in dense axillary spikes; the pod or bean
is from to 0 inches in length, curved or
straight, fiattened, and constric ted be-
tween the seeds
There are several species of mesquite,
but the one under consideration CProsopis
or Algaroba glandulosa of botanists) has
the widest range, being found as far north
| as the Canada river, and extending south
into Mexico; it appears in Texas not far
from the coast, and is the most abundant
tree as far west us the Colorado and Gulf
of California. Were it not for the pre-
sence of the mesquite, immense tracts in
Arizona and Northern Mexico would pre-
sent greater difficulties to travellers than
they do, since this tree affords the sole
fuel and forage of the country As fuel,
the wood has no superior; it makes a fire
almost as intense as one of anthracite.
The pods or beans, which ripen in June,
contain sugary pulp having an agreeable
blending of sweetness and acdity, some
what like the harvest apple. They are
very nutritious, and while their importan-
ce to the civilized traveller lies in their
value rs food for horses in districts desti-
tute of grass, they are of still greater im-
portance as articles of food to the Indians
living within its reach To whites the |
taste Of the fruit is somewhat mawkish |
and unpleasant, but it is greatly relishcd |
by the Mexicans and Indians. The latter,
when the pods are in 4 fresh ripe state, |
put them into q wooden or stone mortar |
bruise themi then mix them with water |
and empty them into nn earthen dish, |
where, after standing few hours, there |
results sort of cold porridge or mush |
All present then collect around the newly |
prepared mess, and, sitting on the ground |
near the dish, scoop the food out with |
their hands without any ceremony, and |
without regard to distinction of rank, age,
or sex. The nearly naked bodies of the |
Indians soon become smeared with the |
food from head to foot, and the shaggy ap-
pearance of their half adds nothing to |
their aspect of cleanliness. The meal |
finished, tleir faces assume a complaisaut |
look, while their tumid abdomens give
abundant evidence of the quantity of food
consumed.
The pods, as they ripen, are gathered
for winter use and after being thoroughly
dried, are slowed in cylindrical shaped bas-
kets, made OF twigs, and covered with
mud and grass to keep out rain. IN this
shape they can be preserved for q long
time. They are among the great luEuries
Of the Apachcs; Plmas, Yumas, Maricopas,
Mohaves, Hualpais, Cocopahs, and Mo
quis, OF Arizona, besides of many tribes
i'll New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and the
southern portion of California. The
squaws pound the dried pods until redut-
ed to fine powder, which, being mixed
with little water, is pressed into large
thick cakes weighing several pounds, and
these being dried in the sun are afterwara
used as circumstances require. The pods
are also often kept in the powdered state
in bagSj but if the beans are not pulyeriY-
ed as fine rs the pulp they soon become .
living mass, since from every bean will
issue q weevil, species of bruchus. To
the Indians, however, this is matter of
and they never trouble them
selves to pick the insects ont, but allow
them to become an ingredient of the bread:
If reduced to fine flour the insect larva
becomes part, forming homogeneous
mass of animal and vegetable substance.
The -four being very sweet, forms, when
mixed with water, an agreeable drink;
boiled in water and fermented, there re-
suits pleasant and nutritious beverage,
held in great esteem by the natives.
The gum which eXudes spontaneously
from the bark of the tree is described rs
very similar in its properties to gum ara
bic, and an analysis by DR.. Mortit has
shown that III composition and chemical
properties II very closely resembles the