306 PLANTS USED BY INDIANS OF MENDOCINO COUNTY, CAL. 
The wood, although nearly as soft as that of the sugar pine, Is yet 
very strong and durable. Dr. J. W. Hudson, of Ukiah, showed me 
two logs, one oak, the other nutmeg, which had been cut down at 
about the same time. The conditions for preservation were decidedly 
in favor of the oak, but this was found to be so rotten that it could be 
easily kicked to pieces, while the nutmeg log was perfectly sound. 
The wood being strong, close-grained, and flexible, as well as spicy, is 
admirably adapted for toothpicks. 
Several Pomo Indians informed me that some of the best of their 
baskets were made from strands obtained from the roots of this tree, 
The rigid, sharp-pointed leaves were formerly used as needles to prick 
pitch soot into the skin in tattooing. Avo’-be (the k guttural) and /e-be' 
are the names used by the Pomos to designate the tree. 
PINACEAE. Pine family. 
Juniperus californica Carr. 
Spo ka-la’ (Yokia).—The sweet-fruited Juniper, which grows on the 
hills near Ukiah. The dry fruit is sometimes boiled and eaten. 
Libocedrus decurrens Torr. 
Shan-lé’ (Yuki).—The incense cedar, or ‘* cedar.” as it is more 
commonly called in this region. The tree grows under much more 
favorable conditions farther northward, the few trees which grow in 
the mountains near Round Valley being considerably smaller than the 
average size, 
All parts of the tree contain volatile oils, which give off a charac- 
teristic odor somewhat like that of incense. The odor from the thick, 
seale-like leaves is especially pleasing after the more volatile oil has 
been driven off by heat. 
In the process of leaching acorn meal, the flat, intricately divided 
sprigs are in constant use by the northern tribes now located in Round 
Valley. As may be seen in the description of this process given on 
page 336, the object of the use is a double one. The dense leaflets serve 
to prevent the sand from becoming mixed with the meal, and at the 
same time impart some of their peculiar flavor to it. The oil con- 
tained in the wood makes the latter very resistant to decay when used 
as an underground timber. The smaller limbs are sometimes con- 
verted into bows, and a decoction of the leaves is occasionally used to 
relieve’stomach troubles. //0’-/d@ is the Concow name given for the 
tree; the Wailaki name is gos. 
Pinus lambertiana Dougl. 
Pi-hut’ (the u guttural and prolonged) and s/ih’-6/ (Yuki).—The 
gar pine, which is sparingly represented in the most mountainous 
sugt 
parts of the county. As these parts are remote from the Indian settle- 
