botanical and economic aspects that they commonly are and should be classed together.[1]
Perhaps adequate testing will show that both mesquite and screw bean have their places in a reasonably scientific agriculture for the semi-arid lands.
THE NEED FOR SCIENTIFIC WORK
This combination of the above-mentioned qualities, productivity of trees, ability to stand drought and frost, and good analysis of beans and their appetizing quality, certainly makes reasonable the statements of the scientists[2] and ranchmen of the southwestern plateaus that the mesquites are worthy of experimentation and gives reason for Mr. Forbes' belief that gathering beans on a commercial scale "seems to be practicable in some parts of the country." In considering all these statements it should be remembered these are wild plants, quite unimproved either by propagation of the best strains or by breeding.
- ↑ See table of analyses, page 302.
- ↑ "In the western and southwestern sections of the state the mesquite bean affords during some years a large proportion of the feed supply of the horses and cattle of those sections. As far as I am aware no investigations have been made in regard to the actual feeding values of these products. Neither has anything been done towards the development of more productive strains of trees. It seems to me that the field offers considerable opportunity for investigation." (Letter from John C. Burns, Professor of Animal Husbandry, Department of Animal Husbandry, Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, College Station, Texas, June 6, 1913.)
