SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES 181 
The maguey (mah-gay’) (Agave parryi) and sotol (Dasylirion 
wheeleri) are scattered on many slopes, the former greatly preferring 
the rocky limestone areas. (See pl. 22, A.) Sometimes the maguey 
is called the “‘century plant,’ with the idea that it blossoms once 
in a hundred years, but the period is generally only six or seven 
years, and after the fruit is developed the plant dies. It is a useful 
plant to the Indians, who make tough fiber from its leaves. The 
bulbous base of its young staff when baked is like squash, and it 
also furnishes juice which when fermented becomes pulque (pool’kay) 
and when distilled yields the strong brandies “‘mescal” and “tequila” 
(tay-kee’la). Many piles of stones in the Southwest mark the sites of 
‘“‘mescal pits,” where the plant was roasted by the Indians. 
The broad stiff-leaved yuccas (Yucca macrocarpa and Y. baccata), 
called ‘dagger’ or Spanish bayonet, bear large white flowers in 
bunches on a tall stalk, which develop into an edible fruit, ‘‘datil,” 
somewhat like the pawpaw, that is utilized by the Indians. Their 
fiber is also used extensively for basket weaving. The abundant 
narrow-leaved yucca with its stalk of beautiful white blossoms 
(palmilla of the Mexicans) is called soap weed because its roots 
(called amole) make a soapy lather when pounded in water. Bear- 
— (Nolina) is a different plant but also contains an excellent 
The more noticeable desert trees which grow in nearly all parts of 
western Arizona are the mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), which often 
attains a height of 30 feet along the valleys, the palofierro, or iron- 
wood (Olnega tesota), and the paloverde (Cercidium and Parkinsonia), 
many of which grow to be more than 300 years old. There are a 
few chiriones, or soapberry trees (Sapindus marginatus), and desert 
willows (Chilopsis linearis) in the arroyos. The ‘‘Crucifixion” bush, 
consisting entirely of thorns, and the indigo thorn (Parosela spinosa) 
are interesting bushes of widespread occurrence. The very thorny 
catclaw, ‘‘ufias del gato” (Acacia greggii), merits its name, and there 
is another Acacia (constrieta) called ‘tisito,” which bears globular 
yellow flowers of remarkable fragrance. On the higher lands are 
many junipers (sabinas), the pifion (Pinus edulis) with its delicious 
nabs and many oaks. 
Three miles west of Mescal, in the headwaters of Pantano Wash, 
aaa are outcrops and cuts in sandstone of Lower Cretaceous (Co- 
manche) age that underlies the wide, low divide of the Mescal region, 
and farther west, notably near Pantano, there are scattered exposures 
of tilted conglomerates, sandstones with interbedded lavas, and 
Gila conglomerate (Pliocene and Pleistocene). A massive volcanic 
rock is exposed i in the stream gorge about 80 feet deep just east of 
