in Extra-Tropical Countries. 299 



Prosopis alba, Grisebach. 



La Plata-States. A tree, rising finally to about 40 feet, with a 

 stem-diameter to 3 feet. The fruit, known as Algaroba blanca, is 

 considered wholesome and nutritious. The tree yields also tan-bark. 

 P. nigra (Hieronymus) serves in Argentina similar purposes also. 



Prosopis dulcis, Kunth. 



From California and Texas to the southern parts of the La Plata- 

 States. Vernacularly known as the.Cashaw- Mesquite- or Algaroba- 

 tree. A thorny shrub, growing finally to a tree of 30 feet height, 

 with a stem 2^ feet in diameter; adapted for live-fences. The wood 

 is durable and of extraordinary strength and excessive hardness, fit 

 for select furniture particularly, assuming when polished the appear- 

 ance of mahogany. This is one of the species yielding the sweetish 

 Algaroba-pods for cattle-fodder, and utilized even in some instances 

 for human food. The pods of the various kinds of Prosopis are 

 adapted only for such animals as chew the cud, and thus get rid of 

 distending gases (R. Russell). Argentina Algaroba-pods contain, 

 according to Sievert, 25 to 28 per cent, grape-sugar, 1 1 to 17 per cent, 

 starch, 7 to 11 per cent, protein, of organic acids, pectin and other 

 non-nitrogenous nutritive substances 14 to 24 per cent. They are 

 also comparatively rich in potash, lime and phosphoric acid. A spark- 

 ling drink called Aloja is made of the fruits. This and some allied 

 species yield the Algarobylla-bark for tanning; the leaves contain, 

 according to Sievert, 21 per cent, tannin. The pods also of several 

 species are rich in tannic acid. Mere varieties, according to Bentham, 

 are: P. horrida, P. juliflora, P. siliquastrum, P. glandulosa. Particu- 

 larly the latter variety exudes a gum not unlike gum-arabic, and this 

 is obtained at times so copiously, that children could earn two to three 

 dollars a day in Texas while gathering it, latterly about 40,000 Ibs. 

 being bought by druggists there. A short communication on the 

 American Algaroba-trees was presented to the Parliament of Victoria 

 by the writer in 1871. Pods of some Prosopis, used as fodder, have 

 caused the death of horses in Jamaica by overfeeding. 



Prosopis pubescens, Bentham. 



The Tornillo or Screw-bean. Texas, California, Mexico. The 

 pods ripen at all seasons and contain much saccharine nutritive sub- 

 stance (J. S. Gamble). Likely available for hedges with other 

 species of other countries. Seeds can be converted into food (Sar- 

 gent). Not resisting climatic vicissitudes so well as P. dulcis. 



Prosopis spicigera, Linn. 



India, extending to Persia. A thorny tree, also producing edible 

 pods and enduring some frost. It attains a height of 60 feet, but is 

 of slow growth (Brandis). Serves for hedge-lines. It can be chosen 

 for desert-land (Kurz). 



Prosopis Stephaniana, Kunth. 



Syria and Persia. A shrubby species for hedge-growth. 



