, 1877-07-14
SPARKS OF SCIENCE.

LUosEsTnlFKs AND THE C1cTI.-Nc linyc only
QUO representative Of the 1soosestrtfe family, or
tho Lythraccr, growing In our wilas; but In our
greenhouses and gardens there nre several spc-
c!cs, which udd much to tie hcauty Of tho floral
lisnlay. On tic open p.alflca round ahout us
tic slim, watll-flkc Lytl,rln aatunl unlulls ils
purple petals in TIC summer months. 1t Is
slender herb, with winged stem, md ax[llarv,
SOLITARY tlowers and attalns height Of from ono
to three feet. In tl,e borders Of our cultivated
grounds IFS handsome cousin, the little Cigur-
Plant, or CupAea platycca,tra, Is at the yaIno
time flushed with nlYriatA Of scarlet blossoms,
Of tubular shape, supposed to hayc some re.
scmblance, IN this rcspcrkl to cigar. The plant
winters out ofllnors. The dthcrapeclcs Of tho Gu.
phcn. with purple and scarlet flowers, hare been
Introduced 1nfu our cnnsaryatorfea. The Grape
Myrtle tkaserssrGmia lndleal - one & 9t TIC % sle.
come to Us from the East lniaics. 1t has
winged branches, routid, uyato leaves, And paul.
cles Of bluclsh.purplu flowers.
Thc 1ytl,racrlB itIrf,tts upward OF 800 species,
and tnllab ablt lho, Tropics and Temperate regious
In bot!. hc1nisphcrcs. Dycs arc obtained from
number of species. The Lnnlsnnla tncFmts
4ntl =: spiaosa, known W - Gy thc Afabc % naass of
grant tiuwers, antl nlso for the orungc dye with
which Oriental women stain tho nails aud tips
Of tho fingers. Tue aye is likewise used
w liCn III EC1Of LIE DG1fU$-LNG SEll1"
being siiangetl to black ly the addition oi inaI-
60. The powdered 1eavcs Of tho 1eana arc
largely exported from Egypt to Persia aud Tur-
key, and eycn into uennnny,. where they arc
Many of tio Looscstrifo arc useful IN tho treat
nent OF 1tsease, and one, tho fhysocn)yn,.
ma noEtbuuda, furnishes beautiful rose-eotoFea
The Cactus family fcactaccr> bclong exc'u.
siyeiy u America. Homc of the specifies hare
been introduced into the Old World, where,
amid sandy wastes, they flourish 10 luxuriantay
u to be taken for natives Ut tho lan1; but tlctF
ancestry can III every case be traced buck TO Amer
lem soil. There arc aboEe 6oo species kbowIl.
AL ayu lfcshy stcns, either slilplc or bratchet,
ns,t flost Ut them Arc destitute Of leaves. Ill
steatl 4of the usua! foliage the majority Of tic
Cactl scnt out clusters VI hairs or pricklcs at
frequent points along their stcins Thu flowers
arc gs,erally very saort-livcd, opening mud clos"
fnE, within few hours.
Mclnn- Thistle {htelDactltiR) to tho trccfke col
utnn uf the tiIAnt Candle {Cercusl which riscs
to the iright Of sixty feet. Tho Caysi arc rotl-
stitated to endure tho heat and drought which
prevail in sandy. arid deserts ln Tropical clt-
mates. They therefore cxIWse the loast possible
surla:e TO the withcrlng cllests of the sun and
sr Du.iSr ,t ts VT st season tacy assei0p .hs!r
store of fluids to LIST through tho annual tern
Of drought, a,tu then doty The scorrhtng days
aud ucwless nights to H1tlIer them. Tho Thick.
touhH BALI WCFEHkk tuH SfapuFAtlou Nk lntW
precious juices; aud Illus thej rest safely
| through tic try months, ~ tho bear aleepa
| through the winter, sulststlng on tho nourlsh.
ment secured fur tho tlme Of scarcity.
Ing aud agreeable to The taste. Thxl Of the
| Frick!y Pear (Opunt!a) il u familiar example.
The flowers Of aomo of them arc large, highly.
eolorc1: a1,d very fragrant. Those oi th9
in our greenhouses. ase distinguished tor thcf
slzr alnl splen1or. The,e are about 100 species
of the Cercus, aud the tntlfc genus y nuteu foF
to o. yara e9'2s Ss ana 1OI ds
Csreut gisanlea,, Or Giant candlt, xhisl, Which
Culiiosnia. .'sayasc ,deserta and tho ,nost
localities most favorclby this plant, which fnds
means of pushing it, toots between stones and
rocks, where not an aloin OF soil as 70 0o seen,
and where i grows, netsft',eless. to surprising
age. Al hrst twice as large at ths top a. u tue
root, the plant, in proportion - It arrives at
maturity. anlargss It fYameter till II becomes
straight, column tF about twenty fec:t,
to the plaeo where th{ branches are produced.
Hero round branches 10 straight out from tho
trunk and Itse to the Fa!le height. It Is at this
right branches, looks llkc gigantic, candela-
die. -. iu III and June. the Tins ot
bloom, the upper enl Of tho branches, and Of
flowers, which ire eI3aeed In the two following
months BY sayory fruta: This plant Il oun OF
shs fayoiits articles ot food u4cd By. ths In
llaus. who alsQ cony4t # tnto sort u sifup
upou the tree these " and peaf.aba@pea PED 4 t.lits
Top turn 1eidisb. 1he pulp il crimson, and
tasses IKE that q be green fK, but much t;!t
feet, When the p)a4 dies, tle &.sh falls away,
pleee by piece, from t!c lbres Of the stem; aud,
lor years Afterwards hodla9 on by the roots,
| thpxv gigantic aud b{re skeletons arc seen still
cllngtng IL the rock.
Ayaluablo plxus,{ Is m.de from tho juice OF
thu Opuntla Tuna, which IL Ut . rich crt,uson
hue. The scfreshlu4 sub-acM Juices Of otLcr
member Of the ord4 arc estecmsd = p9llia.
eau species afford fo+4 for cattle; aud the wood
Of soteles which att4u large growth Il used
; for domestic purpask.
In our dora ther. Is rcckoned only = single
specimen Vi the gu. bus tti!s, tue opuatia RI
ane.4uil,-1ne ot ~ P5tekIy Peafs. 4 M xFHx. ~.
shore. It IL plentl!{l on the hl4!lcs two o.
three nlle4 west ! Mller's Station, aud at
/ 1 Tn1I.st.h, Ind m rfOstv the