458 The Mezquit. (May, 
Diego, California, and often the only kind obtainable. According 
to Dr. Loew, the charcoal made from this wood is of the best 
quality for metallurgical and smelting purposes. 
During the summer months, from May to September, there 
exudes from the bark of the mezquit a gum which concretes in 
tears of variable size, and of a light amber color. It has the 
taste of gum arabic, makes excellent mucilage, and dissolves 
readily in three parts of water, the solution having a slight acid 
reaction. Chemically, it is distinguished from gum arabic in not 
being affected by subacetate of lead, which, in a solution of the 
latter, throws down a thick, white precipitate. 
This gum is mostly found in old, decrepit trees, with thick, 
cracked bark, and accumulates in knot holes and around fractures. 
More rarely is it seen on young, vigorous, and smooth-barked 
trees. The yield is increased by practicing incisions on the trunk. 
In these the gum which slowly forms above, under the cambium 
layers, demonstrates its derivation from the descending sap. It 
often happens that the exudation fails to concrete, and runs upon 
the bark in large, black, tarry streaks and patches. 
The quantity of gum naturally produced during the season by 
a large tree is small, probably not exceeding a third of a 
It is doubtful whether the yield could be increased to a pound by 
incisions. Therefore this gum, although of prime quality, @ 
hardly ever become an important article of trade. 2 
The fruit of the mezquit contains nutritive principles we 
make it a valuable article of food. Most herbivorous animals at 
fond of it, and thrive on it. In the field it is a welcome thong? 
imperfect substitute for grain. Horses and mules soon gar ii 
know the tree or bush, always abundantly fructiferous, "i 
soon as let*loose go in search of the fallen pods lying 1 theg hly 
under the thorny branches. While green, and until thoroug 
ripened, the “beans” are bitter and worthless as food. igi 
maturity they fall to the ground, when they should be 4 s 
collected before wetted by rain and stored in a dry m n Jet 
these conditions they keep well until the next crop. have 2 
on the ground they soon deteriorate and decay. They its 
$ z : hich lays 
particular enemy in a small coleopterous insect W we shal 
eggs in the seeds, so that in picking up an old pod the corre 
usually find each joint bored with a hole leading tO 
sponding seed, 
