Tom_Horn wrote in
:

Mesquite, which is often considered a "trash" wood, is really the
center of a thriving industry in Texas. A highly figured & colourful
wood, it is used in furniture making & custom gun grips, amongst
other uses. I've 3 pair of mesquite grips on handguns I own. I will
admit to having a "hate" relationship with mesquite though. It dates
from my childhood growing up in west Texas in the early 50's. The
thorns were & still are, murderous ! Unfortunately, at that time the
mesquite tree was the only thing around there that a normal active kid
could use for climbing.
TH



Mesquites are all over my neighborhood, even had a
couple in my front yard. They are disgusting plants. Not
even a real tree, more like a big bush, only with nasty
thorns. They soak all the water from the soil that other
plants need, and if you cut them down they will just
grow back. In South Texas ranchers use drag lines to
get rid of them (a chain dragged between 2 bulldozers).
They heap them up and burn them so the cattle can get
some grass for a little while until they grow back and
the whole process starts again.

However, they are handy in a BBQ grill........