A. NATIVE FOODS 



Among the San Carlos Apache, Walapai, Pima, and Maricopa, this 

 subject received particular attention, opportunities for similar investi- 

 gation in other tribes being less favorable. 



In the course of his investigations respecting the princi])al native 

 foods of the San Carlos Apache, the writer learned of the following: 



Xos-Tca-tl ("spine sewing:" Echinocereus wislizeni) is a large cac- 

 tus, known more commonly as hiznaga. The plant has yellow fruit, 

 full of small black seeds which are eaten by the Apache after being 

 parched, ground, and boiled into mush. In extreme thirst the Indians 

 occasionally have recourse to this plant for the somewhat insipid 

 juice it contains. Ail the Indians in the Southwest are acquainted 

 with this use of the hiznaga. 



The seeds of the clios-tha-stha-ne, a high, branching Opuntia, are 

 used in the same manner as those of hiznaga; or the flour made from 

 the seeds is eaten, followed by drafts of water to aid in the process. 



The red doughnut-like fruit of the l-ze hi-ne (Cereus greggii), and 

 even the flowers of the plant, are eaten, and the same is true of the 

 fruit of the xos-cJio-le or xos-de-chu-le ("round or short thorn:" 

 Mamillaria grahami), a small cactus provided with fish-like spines, 

 growing on the high mesas north of Talklai, and of the "tuiias" of 

 several varieties of the flat-leaved chus ("thorn") cactuses. 



The most valuable of all the cactus fruits, however, is the nol-hia-ga, 

 borne by the giant cactus (saguaro, a variety of Cereus giganteus). 

 Every year, even up to the present time, when the fruit of this cactus 

 begins to ripen many of the Indians move to the locality where the 

 plant is found, remaining there for two or three months until the last 

 of the fruit has matured and been gathered. This is a period of 

 prosperity, and the Indians return home fat. Large quantities of the 

 luscious fruit are eaten raw on the spot, and what can not be con- 

 sumed there is dried in the sun, made into large cakes, and carried 

 home, where it lasts at times for many months.*^ 



The numerous small black seeds of the nol-hia-ga are also used 

 alone, being roasted, ground, mixed with water, and eaten as mush. 



Another valuable article of food of these Apache is the mescal 

 (Agave, sp.?). First, the leaves of the plant are cut off, leaving a 



a Unfortunately, after six or seven months what is left of these cakes usually has become infested 

 with worms. Desiring to buy some of this product, the writer was brought, in February, 190.5, a large 

 piece in this condition. The native women and children ate from this piece, however, which preserved 

 its good color and smell, without any repugnance whatever to the worms. 



3452— Bull. 34—08 17 257 



