15S GROWTHS THE PINON. 



vated fruit is not so much the fault of nature, 

 as the result of indolence and neglect on the 

 part of the people. The prickly pear is found 

 in greatest abundance, and of several varie- 

 ties : and though neither very wholesome nor 

 savory, it is nevertheless frequently eaten. 



There is but httle timber in New Mexico, 

 except in the mountains and along the water- 

 courses ; the table-plains and valleys are gene- 

 rally all open prairie. The forest growths, 

 moreover, of all the north of Mexico, present 

 quite, a limited variety of timber, among 

 wliich the common pitch-pine mostly predo- 

 minates. The tree which appears to be most 

 pecuhar to the country, is a kind of scrub 

 pine called pinon, wliich grows generally to 

 the height of twenty or thirty feet, with leaves 

 ever-green and pine-like, but scarcely an mch 

 long. From the surface of this tree exudes 

 a species of turpentine resembhng that of 

 the pitch-pine, but perhaps less resinous. The 

 wood is white and firm, and much used for 

 fuel. ^ The most remarkable appendage of this 

 tree is the fruit it bears, which is also known 

 by the same name. This is a little nut about 

 the size of a kidney-bean, with a rich oJ 

 kernel in a thin shell, enclosed in a chestnut- 

 like bur. It is of pleasant flavor and much 

 eaten by tlie natives, and considerable quan- 

 tities are exported annually to the southern 

 cities. It is sometimes used for the manu- 

 facture of a certain kind of oil, said to be ver)^ 

 good for lamps. 



The mezquite tree, vulgarly called mushet 



