The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-06-14
MESQUITE IN OKLAHOMA
an Interesting Subject Discussed b
PPcfeaaor 6SOufd

Norman, o. T., June 1S.-The following
article by Professor G. n, Gould of the
University Of Oklahoma. concerning one
OF the rare trees of Oklahoma, appeared
! in the April number Of Plant World, pub
lished at Washington, y. c.:
In the summer of 1897. while doing geo.
/ logical work in southwestern Kansas, my
attention was called to thorny shrub
unlike anything had seen in the state.
It grew on the hillside just north Of
the Black hills. some eight miles south
east of Belvidere, In Klowa county. The
next summer I pointed out the shrub to
Dr. Lester T. Ward, who identified it
as the mesquite CProposis elandulosa
Torr.), and published a notice Of its oc-
curreuce in The Plant World. The spe-
cies has since been incluGed IN Britton K
Browns Illustrated Flora.
During the past sumner while working
with the Oklahoma Geological Survey.
had opportunity 10 observe the habitat Of
this plant In northwestern Oklahoma. in
this region the Mesquite was not observed
except in patches along the valley of the
Cimarron river, where il sometimes be-
comes quite abll1aut 1t prefers the
poorest and driest soils. apparently those
impregnated with salt Almost without
exception it was found in the red soil
on or near the salt fats The shrub
sometimes grows as much as ten feet
high, but is always widespreading and
apparently stunted It bears a great pro
fusion of pods. The mesquite has also
been noticed on the high hills of Clark
Ounty. Kansas. 80 miles west Of Belvidere,
but here it is extremely dwarfed, rarely
growing more than three feet high.
have never seen it north Of the southern
tier of counties in Kansas.
In speaking Of this tree Professor Gould
recently said: The mesquite is the most
common tree in certain parts OF Mexico
and the arid and sub-arid regions of the
southwestern United States. 1t is a des-
ertIoving plant. and hnds congenial hab-
itation on the high plains OF Texas and
Mexico. IN places it grows in great
abundance. often forming impenetrable
thickets.
1T belongs TO the Pea family, Oegumi-
noseae) which is characterized by a long
pod containing a number OF bean-lilze
seeds arranged along one side Of the pod.
To the same family also belong such trees
Of our own latitude as the Red-bud. Cof-
t-oeeltl. LOCUST anu none locust De-
sides al the beans, peas. clovers and
many Of the summer prairie plants. In
general the mesquite resembles the Hon
ey-locust more nearly than any other
tree. having the same long sharp thorns
and bean-shaped pods. although smaller
In size
THE seeds Of the mesquite form one Of
the staple articles of food of the NTexicans
and Indians in the regions where the
tree IS abundant. The pods and seeds are
eagerly eaten by csttle. Besides being use
ful as a food the tree is in great demand
as fuel IN the otherwise treeless regions
which It inhabits. A sum which exudes
from the bark IS now being used as
substitute Tor India rubber.
''As fsr northeast as Oklahoma the tree
does not reach its fun development
Cueerly enough. IN the Territory il has
not been observed in any quantities ex-
cept along the Cimarron and its branches.
The fact Of its presence as far north as
Kansas has occssioned considerable. sur
prise 70 botsnists~