298 



FORAGE LEGUMINOS^ 



abundant foliage casting a delightful shade. The fruit is a common 

 article of food with the natives. " While we were crossing the 

 country," says Dr. de Hass, " our muleteers seemed to make these 

 beans their only food." A record is generally kept of these trees and 

 marriages are often dowered with carob fruits. A grove of these trees 

 is regarded as having as big a value as a vineyard or an olive planta- 

 tion. A single tree may produce a thousand pods. They are exported 



AgricuHinal Gazffte, X.S. If, 



Fig. 50. — Acacia aiiciira. 



to Russia and elsewhere. When the fruit is ripe it contains a sweet 

 pulp, which is extracted and turned into a honey of a kind which is 

 most popular among the peasants of Palestine. Dr. Brandis says that 

 the wood of this tree is hard, heavy, an excellent fuel, and good for 

 carpentry. 



Hardwickia binata (Tree). — A large Indian tree. Animals are very 

 fond of the leaves, w'hich they browse directly from the pollarded trees. 



