Arizona weekly enterprise., 1889-11-23

the hillsides-in short, the work of civilization has long since begun and is making steady progress, and now we have time to look somewhat closer in 10 the beauty and usefulness of the magnificent Flora which nature has bestowed upon this Territory with a lavish hand.
 In view of the fact that the most elaborate and complete works ac- cOmpanied by very instructive maps, issued by the Census bureau since 1880, fully describe the nature, quan- tity and habitat of the trees of Ari- zOna, l shall not touch upon this sub ject, the more so as my space is limit ed. A few words only of the mesquite tree (Prosopis julifiora) whose useful ness cannot be overlooked. This tree is found in all tie bottom lands of Southern Arizona and here attains sometimes height of over 40 feet, while upon tho hills and mesas its growth is somewhat stunted. The wood which is very hard, fne-grained and of considerable specific weight, is susceptible of a high polish and resists the "tooth of time" for centuries. As fire wood it may be said to be unsur- passed. The prosopis produces an nually large crops of pods, usually called mesquitebeans, which furnish very nourishing feea to.sthe roaming il.iesrds o[ cattle many of which would sometiples pe5ish during the hot sum linaer, mont lls wl5en tlssa Eainy season nuts iil a fafdy appearance. This tree belongs t0 the Rnily sf the Mimosae ! as also anatiler eaiiiied palo verde (Mex., f whose trunk, branches and very small
 leaves are, as the name indicates, of 2 yel!owish green. Its pod when fresl is also very much appreciated by horses and cattle; the taste of the mesquite
 bean is somewhat acid, pat unlike
 that of 2 half ripe cherry, while tht taste of the palo verde pea is almos
 exactly that of half cooked potato
 The valleys, sandy plains, mesa land
 and sunny mountain sides Of centra
 and especially southern Arizona ar,
 covered by innumerable species of tn
 Cactaceae, amongst which the mos
 conspicuous is the Giant cactus. Ger
 GUS giganteus.) It attains its greates
 night on dry sandy l9wlands, wher
 quite a number of them have beel
 found to attain from 5Q.to 54, and feV
 even to 60 feet by actual measure
 ment; when well proportioned the
 look like the tall majestic flute
 columns of the temples of the ancient'
 and again when surrounded by hrancl
 es arranged in g circle around tn
 mother trunk, they resemble gigar
 tic candelabra, The ridges from to 7 to hottom are covered by thorns whic contain a resinous substance so. tha . by applying highted match to tn 3 bottom of the plant, the entire cactu will in a few seconds become g pilla f of fire. The Apao1es lave to ii. l knowledge quitsi Frequently made us Z 6fthis circumstance in their warfal :. to exchange signals by night from or
 war party to another. When, by re l gen of ald age,lightning or other caus, v the outer pulp of the Cereus begil e to peel off and decay, there appea l below skeleton of long poles he together by the flores of the plar forming circle around the circur ference about two iilch6s inside of u f, outer skin. These poles, when dr 2; are separated, (their weight is excee Q inglNs light) and. are used by the J