22b HARDWOOD RECORD March id, mis 



In that strip of semi-desert, stretching from the lower valloy of 

 the Rio Grande in Texas and Mexico, across New Mexico and Arizona, 

 there is a tree which is a fit subject for a psychological as well as 

 a botanical study. It illustrates the viewpoints of different observers 

 who have undertaken to give it appropriate names. Strange it is that 

 a tree so beautiful as to be called paradise flower by one observer 

 should be thought so hideous by another as to be named devil 's-claw. 

 It is tlie same tree, but is seen under different conditions. Still other 

 travelers consider ram's horn the most appropriate name for it; and 

 yet others who are not quite so heartless as to couple this tree with 

 the diabolical talons of Satan, modify the idea slightly and call It 

 cat 's-claw.' 



The botanist caUs the species Gregg's acacia {Acacia greggii). 

 Except during a period of about one week in early spring when the 

 tree is in bloom, it is a doleful specimen of uncouth vegetation. Most 

 of its associates are little better. Many of them carry such thin 

 foliage in summer that they cast little shade. Devil 's-claw 's leaves 

 are double compound, but so small that a group of forty-eight leaflets 

 have been actually hidden under a silver dollar, though they are not 

 usually that small. In midsummer many of the devil 's-claw trees 

 that occupy the bluffs overlooking the Eio Grande seem to be dead. 

 Unless examined close at hand no foliage is visible, so thin is it, and 

 so covered with the whitish dust that settles over everything. A little 

 later the leaves fall, but so little changed are the trees in appearance 

 that the shedding of the leaves may pass unnoticed. The branches 

 look the same afterwards as before. 



One feature stands out in horrid prominence. The thorns can be 

 both seen and felt. They are curved like the claws of eagles, but are 

 not so large. They grow along the sides of the small branches, with 

 their murderous points curved back toward the tree's main stem, and 

 what they catch they hold with a tenacity that justifies the name 

 devil 's-claw. 



A Bare Wood 



The wood of devil 's-claw will never reach a very extensive market. 

 All that grows between the mouth of the Eio Grande and the mouth 

 of the Gila — 2,000 miles across the half-desert country — would prob- 

 ably amount to less lumber than may be cut on ten acres of redwood 

 or Douglas fir timberland. No factory in the United States, as far 

 as reports show, has ever used one foot of this wood ; yet it is exquis- 

 ite in its beauty. It is dark rich red, but changes into other tones 

 and tints in the same trunk, blending through intermediate cloudy 

 effects into gray and green. No other wood of America shows so 

 great a variety of colors; but, unfortunately, few others show so 

 many defects and unsightly scars where pits and cavities have been 

 overgrown and included in the trunk. Sometimes these pits fill with 

 wood that seems to grow there by some abnormal process, and this 

 included growth may be a worthless splotch, or it may display colors 

 suggesting onyx. Defects largely predominate, so that the process of 

 cutting the really valuable wood out of a trunk is slow and costly, 

 and the stock thus secured is usually in small bUlets. 



Trunks of suitable size are used for fence posts, fuel, and railroad 

 ties ; but sometimes novelties and small articles of furniture are made 

 by natives who have the skill and inclination to do the work. The 

 wood is so hard that no man can drive a nail in it, and few car- 

 penter tools will cut it. It saws more like ivory than wood. 



The Devil 's-Claw Carpenter 



There was, a few years ago and still may be, a man in the Eio 

 Grande valley who had made a specialty of working with devil 's- 

 elaw, and had gained considerable local notoriety on that account. 

 He was called "the devil 's-elaw carpenter," and he considered the 

 term a compliment. When the writer of this was in that region on 

 one occasion, and heard so much of this man's wonderful work with 

 this wood, it was thought worth while to procure more information 

 at first hand. The man was finally located in a small town on the 

 bank of the Eio, Grande, in Cameron county, Texas — a typical devil 'b- 



cl^w region. He was not hard to find, since there were only a dozen 

 or so saloons in the place, and it was said that he was sure to be in 

 one of them. True to prediction, he was found in a back room, with 

 a dozen Mexicans at a card table. That, by the way, was only the 

 third day after the outbreak of the insurrection against Madero, and 

 the town being on the border, hundreds of Mexicans had swarmed 

 across the Eio Grande into Texas, with the idea of safety first. 



The devil 's-claw carpenter was more than willing to show his shop 

 and its contents, as soon as he understood what was wanted. It was 

 a dark night, but he led the way unerringly through lampless side 

 streets and alleys, and up a dark stair which he rendered negotiable 

 by repeatedly striking matches. The place had a clammy suggestion 

 of ' ' The Murders of Eue Morgue. ' ' His shop was likewise his living 

 room, as was apparent from the unwashed mush bowl and spoon on 

 the table, and a cot in the corner. A kerosene lamp with a cracked 

 chimney, black with smoke, furnished the illumination. 



The work bench was one end of the dining table, and all the visible 

 tools could have been carried in one hand; and on this table were 

 piled the articles made of devil 's-claw, which the carpenter had 

 whittled, sawed, and filed into shape, and on which his local fame 

 rested. He used other Eio Grande woods also, but he specialized on 

 devU 's-claw which he cut on the Eio Grande bluffs. 



The light was poor, but it sufficed to show gems of workmanship 

 in which bits of wood of various colors were joined so perfectly 

 that it was scarcely possible to say whether it all was one piece, or 

 composed of many. It was difiicult to determine which was most to 

 be admired, the natural beauty of the wood, or the skill of the eccen- 

 tric genius that worked the pieces into shape. He gave the devU's- 

 claw wood all the credit, but all of the credit did not belong with 

 the wood. 



He was anxious to sell something, and said that he had not sold a 

 single article in all the years that he had been making them, but 

 had once loaned some to an exposition which made use of them to 

 advertise the resources of Texas. When he named some of his prices, . 

 it became apparent why sales had not been up to his expectations. 

 The smallest and cheapest article he had was held at twelve dollars, 

 and it could not be bought for a cent less. He had tea trays, paper 

 weights, jewel boxes, miniature tables, checker boards, and meny 

 conceits not made for any particular purpose and bearing no special 

 name. He was obsessed with the idea that he was famous and that 

 connoisseurs, perhaps crowned heads, would finally come to his terms 

 and possess his devil 's-claw novelties and curiosities. His prices may 

 not have been excessive, if the time required in collecting the material 

 and making them were counted at living wages. 



German Business Men Notified 



The Chamber of Commerce of the United States some weeks ago 

 called for a referendum vote from members in all parts of the United 

 States upon the proposition to boycott Germany's business men after 

 the war, unless the Germans themselves take effective steps to rid 

 themselves of the military caste that has plunged the world in war and 

 is still seeking to overthrow neighboring democracies. It was to be a 

 warning to the Germans that they could not maintain a dangerous war 

 machiae and at the same time expect trade with America. 



The referendum vote has now been taken and it is overwhelming in 

 its sentiment in favor of cutting Germany off from our trade after 

 the war unless the Germans themselves overthrow their war -made rulers 

 and put in their place a government in which the people have a voice. 

 The Chamber of Commerce's vote was 1,204 in favor of the proposed 

 trade restriction and 154 against it. This should serve as notice to 

 Germany that if she expects to do business with this country she must 

 not only repent but must bring forth fruit worthy of repentance. 



The National Chamber of Commerce has 500,000 members scattered 

 over the whole United States and ^hey represent the country 's business. 

 The vote was given by the representatives of the whole membership. 



h 



