CAROB, AL'GAROBA, or LOCUST-TREE, Ceratonia siliqua, a tree of the natural order leguminosa, suborder easalpiniete, a native of the countries around the Mediterranean sea, in size and manner of growth much resembling the apple-tree, but with abruptly pinnate dark evergreen leaves, wide]] have about two or three pair of large oval leaflets. The flowers are destittite of corolla;lhe fruit is a brown leathery pod_ 4 to 8 in. long, a little curved, and containing a fleshy and at last spongy and mealy pulp, of an agreeable sweet taste, in which lie a number of shining brown seeds, somewhat resembling small flattened beans. The seeds are bitter and of no use, but the sweet pulp renders the pods an important article of food to the poorer classes of the countries iu which the tree grows. They are very much used by the Moors and Arabs. They are also valuable as food for horses, for which they are much employed in the s. of Europe, and have of late years begun to be extensively imported into Britain, under the name of locust beans, which name and that of St. John's bread they have received in consequence of an ancient
opinion or tradition, that they are the "locusts" which formed the food of John the Baptist in the wilderness. It seems probable that they are the "husks" (keration) of the parable of the Prodigal son.—The Arabs make of the pulp of the C. a preserve like tamarinds, which is gently aperient.—The C. tree is too tender for the climate of Britain. Dr. Hoyle thinks its introduction into the n. of India would be an important addition to the resources of that country, and a valuable safeguard against famine. The produce is extremely abundant, some trees yielding as much as b00 or 900 lbs. of pods. The wood is hard, and much valued, and the bark and leaves are used for tanning.—The locust tree (q.v.) of America is quite distinct from this.