230 THE BOOK OF FORESTRY 
MESQUITE 
The mesquite is the important tree of the arid South- 
west and its deep root system—forty to fifty feet— 
gives rise to the saying that “a man has to dig for his 
firewood,’’ as the bulk of the tree is below ground. The 
wood is heavy and durable; the pods supply food to 
the Indians and are eaten by cattle and horses. 
MESQUITE 
Prospis gulyflora 
Form 
A tree occasionally 40’-50’ high, but 
usually branching close to ground, 
may become 6’-10” in dian eter 
LEAVES 
3’-6”” long, compound, composed of 
12-16 leaflets from 1’’~-2” in length, 
from 4-4” in width 
Fruit 
\ pod 4-9” long growmg i clusters, 
flat at first, later becommg ridged 
owing to tightening of husk in be- 
tween the 10-20 seeds 
RANGE 
Southern borders of Colorado and 
Utah to Western Texas 
