OCR Text |
Show Utility of Yucca Tree The yucca tree, which is indigenous to the deserts of Arizona ami New Mexico, is very useful to man. It bears no leaves, but each one of its branches terminates in a knob from which springs a huge bunch of long, bristle-like spines. One of the most delightful de-lightful of toilet soaps is made from the spinous bundles, which are boiled to extract saponaceous substances. This species of yucca has long been known to Indians is the "soap tree." When they want to wash themselves, or their garments, they simply take a piece of the yucca to the nearest convenient con-venient water and rub it with their hands, thus obtaining an immediate and profuse lather. The bristly bunches make a very superior cattle food. |