, 1874-07-04


tho MOST, rc1nsrkable specimens ct tho osqor.
Tlio ulplanhs oil tho o'Wcaarn' 1nrritorjes{ OF
Caiforns, and Of Mc1!co, arc dotted with tho
Cercns 0igants1ts, which Ia tho King Of tho
uplifting a6laat, autoa column to Tho height OF
20 foott and thon sondng Of branches which,
grow at frat at right ahElea 70 tho trunk, and
thon bend upward, parallel to It, and riso to tho
tplaht,G which, %hhn fully grown; lookA like a.
giant eandelab1un, and Il CALLED by tte natives:
the "CRMnhle7Treo." ~ Tho hhntp, edgee of. tho
uted stch1 Are armod with aothl- -clrcoar thorns.i
arcdds,-polos; ono writer calls thoH.-which'
serve many useful purposes In that wood
loss, region. 'Whan tho plant dies, tho flesh
gradually fall7 away; but Tho etroug nbrsa VIII
tlio s,.n,:-:thS bare: dry bones Of = vegetable
mastodon. D. dcq. 1susling. III hs late work,
Across America" saya that, on tho Maripoaa
Desert thia eaetus grows from ., GU t. t. 40 feet
>"4hclr clustering groups; and varying;lleiEhta,
whom aeon FRONT afar, have all tiio olroot Of
rural cenetory; only hero tho hlafts: are ,eni-
qrall-sreoll, instead Of marblc7w hite. 1n fights
sss 5 sA %M sa %M Gy Sy CSC ass GSxs sssrsss ct ssS ,a
much akin to- water" thai has saved tho lifo' OF
many d thirsty traseler. when lost amid 'thaHo
arid wnskos." ~
In the mouths OF Mar and juno, :the branches q
thq g ggates IRE wFeathsa aloE thos III
hlccaodld, IN tho two following months, BY clus-
tetB Of pear- -Aliapod fruits, with a groon rind,
crimson pulp. :sud . taste like TINT Of 3 frosf,
,tlg, but much loBs, Juicy, Tho ludlaus mako q
hy thy ars s esea o ps5s s ssss
Coros nrb great 'favorltcs among lorlAtB. Tho
singular circumstance OF thoir.dSpautlh,g their
oxqulHte. .aoworat for buta few !tra,lsfent hours
tfoaiIS }aa syanings eS' ago. ii oesapt . spoe
linen whs' On Exhibition In tho conservatory of
Adoiph Dl,,monBohoin, whol, ttnfolacd t"o splci1
did 9otaon1a IN the SAME hour. .The plant itself
lar couyoutiona about woodon framework.
Side by Bi1b, out OF this ugly. nncouth stem, slot
tls twin bloesorhs, like two gtoat wlltto atars or
apair Of stainless water Lilies. How could auch
llness7. WHO could have dreamed tiiat this un-
slightly atom d7lldden In its heart The germs OF
ured i,chcn III da'notor. Their pe.als, Of an
dlaposed II yl.Klq vhorl. 1pooylug. these, as
with an Eiizabetha3 ruff, WIS an uneven row Of
long, narrow yelloviaf-g green ,sepa's: In tho
centre Of tho dover, : close circle Of thread
like :stamous' tipped with golden, tremnlous
aud dropping thoir heavy: heads in q .olpator,
Horvad as hdainty pillow for Tie pisl to roRt its
star. crowned brow upon. Throughout tile night
tho. .lowers preserved thor marvellous beauty !;
but, when ;tle morning dawned. thoir brightness
Yaned. Their aubntaaeo is too ethereal to bear
the daylight, They shrink and vitIor aa though
taluted and tefilel h. the proaence Of tho sIn.
yclitnble Queens of . night, thoy mount their
throne and hold their court for tho brief period
| brilliant roigu ia done forayer..
Tho, .Cacti are: an ineatimablo boon to the
storilo regions II which they abound, as
ttheir stsm4, holding q ptorss Of wholesome
| JUICES, are. TO- man and boast, Welcome
springs ID thiraty land. All theirmyriad varie-
tics are so planned ~ to expose tho least roset-
| BILE surface for .eyaporation. As sphoros, or
cylinders, or pom -shapol blades, ther, atems Aro
nodded ID tho most compact shape possible, and,
covered mith thick, opidormis, retain, during
long months Of drought, tho roBervoirs Of liquid
season comes, they speedily b,lrst into reAplend-
ont bloom, and, boholdI tho deaart rejoicos and
| blossoms like rose.''
Or the lower mountains Of Chill. Darwin once
measured Cactus Of a spherical 6gure, which,
including thn spires, was Q feet and ,iuchea; in
circumference. A fountain fika this would Yield
the traveller gallpna Of precious liquid to sako
his thirst. on ths plains Of bla1co, the cattle
food on the Aoni,y etams, of the. Cacti; aud, In
the Galapagos Islands, Darwin found that q
species Of the lacl,tortoiHe rascrtod to thom for
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