The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-07-25


j.. A. Spring, q botanist of Tucson,
sends to the San Francisco Post an ac-
count of the distinctive flora of Arizona.
Some peculiar use of the strange plants
are described. The candelabra cactus
has been employed by the Apache In
dams for communicating signals; its
height is Is or 90 feet, but occasionally
specimens are found so feet high. To
make it a signal light it is only neces-
sary to set fire near the ground to one
of the vertical rows of prickles with
which the plant is adorned; the flame
runs to the top and the candeiabra be-
comes a torch. And the plant is not
destroyed, nor indeed apparently injur.
ed by such burning on the surface.
When dead and dry the wood is found
to be hollow, and it separates at once
into a number of sticks or poles, these
having been chiefly held together by
the rind. The fruit of this cactus
makes q pleasant preserve. of
another, the ''prickly pear" is well
known to travellers. The young leaves
of the prickly pear cactus are cooked as
a vegetable, the dish produced being
something like string beans in appear
ance and taste; the leaves are also high
" esteemed for use in making a poultice
to draw a splinter. The ''niggerhead"
cactus furnishes ready-made fish-hooks
in countless numbers; by surrounding
the plant with fire it produces water for
the thirsty traveller, the heat driving
its fluids to the interior, whence nearly
half gallon is obtained. "Magucy" is
palatable preparation made by roasting
the leafy heads of the century plant;
1t saved q whole garrison in Arizona
ten years ago from scurvy.
Are we indeed to have a new nation
al political party? Such givings out
as the following look that way:
1T is very certain that there is some
kind of new move being made on the
political chess-board, and that the
President and his ministerial advisers
don't seem to care much how the lead
ers of the Republican party express
their disapproval of the course of the
administration. 1t is alleged that
many of the bureau officers of the de-
partments and the clerks, whose homes
are ostensibly in the various States,
are secretly working, both here and at
home, in the interest of this new o w
ment, and that in the early part of Oc-
tober a caucus will be held in this city
of all the prominent men who intend
to go with the s.new idea" Among
those who are to meet in this caucus
will, it is said, be found Senators and
members of Congress from either of the
present parties, and that in the House
the Union party will hold the balance
of power and go far to dictate who
shall be the officers of the House. 1t is
proposed to create this party in a man.
ner similar to the way that the Repub-
licans became 70 successful. WASH
ington Correspondence Philadelphia
Times.
Fresh talk of a new party, to rally |
around the Hayes peace and reform adj
ministration. Ex-senator Foote, of
Mississippi, and Judge Baetay, former
" of the Ohio Supreme Court, and both
liberal and conservative Democrats,
are ready TO %'jine." The thing is set
ting up to hold the balance of power in
Congress. Shouldn't wonder. The
air is full of change and things. Spring
field (Mass.) Republican.