Tombstone weekly epitaph., 1882-09-16
A HUACHUCA PARADISE.
A Natural Fern COnservatOry---Pr Prof.
 Lennon BOtanizing.

Lennon BOtaniXing.
 Some months ago, it will be remem- bered, we noticed the arrival of Mir. and Mrs. J. G. Lennon in this city, on their way to the Huachucas. It has long been believed that the canyons and defiles of these mountains were natural conservator- ies of flowers and ferns. The following graphic description we find in a letter from Prof. Lennon to the Rural Press. It is dated Tanners Canyon, August 25;
 "A week ago, while clambering up high, narrow and very rocky ravine, turn in its course suddenly revealed just before me half-opened volume of natures great library It stood on end, and was slightly inclined backward against high moun- tain. Its sides were of syenite, limestone, granite and quartz Tn superposed layers, capped with slate.
 have since conducted an officer from the Post, experienced in measurements, to the place, and obtained his judgment as to distances. We estimate the night of the walls to be over 1900 feet, and the extent of spread and depth to be each over 1000 it.. Vertical furrows traverse each page of the book, also horizontal ones.
 And the contents of the volume are on a par with it's magnlfcence, Plants of the most robust form and brightest flowers cling to every ledge and peep out of every crevice. No sooner had 1 approached the pages than 1 deserted, for marginal vignette, beautiful shield fern not seen before west of Texas. Across the right hand page, near the bottom, proceeded a line of white lowered shrubs, a new spe- cies of leaphania. Similarly along the left a new draba. A hundred feet.higher the pages had for illustrations large and, rare aspidium on the left and new species of gymnolomia on the right
 Pulling myself up by the aid of trail ing shrubs, found, in the next narrow rift, two more strange ferns. At about a thousand feet elevation three more ferns appeared. The ascent was now almost vertical, but excitement steadisd hand and foot. Grasping the dependent bushes where possible, and after making place for my fingers in the rock clefts with my pick, I struggled on and up, dripping with precipitation, but greatly elated by the ferns and flowers discovered. About fifty feet from the top the slate capstone jutted out several feet and forbade escape over the top, but it also displayed another strange fern. Sliding down with great peril, and several severe hurts, to ledge about two-thirds the night of the gorge, by good chance I discovered side en- trance from the west, narrow, tortuous way often blocked with debris or guarded by thorny bush, but still passage along the face of the nearly vertical wall for 1000 feet to place of safety.
 Next day Mrs. l.. was conducted to this wonderful conservatory and admmitted by the side entrance At every inward turn of the winding way her exclamations of delight were uttered, but at the outward curves the sheer precipices of 1000 feet below and 800 above, with narrow way of only one or two feet wide, often caused momentary hesitation. But the glories of the inner vestibule of ferns can always be seen from those outer curves, appearing nearer and nearer, and the sight is too en- chanting for betanist to resist.
 Premonitions of a sudden storm, such as are often experienced in the mountains of Arizona in August, now were heard, and the long rolls of thunder reverberated down the cavern's length in quick success sion and increasing loudness; but sweet voiced little bird hopped along just few feet ahead, and seemed a siren to lure us on. Suffice it to say, the inner recesAes Of the conservatory were visited, more of their treasures secured, and then quick re- treat was made before torrent dashed down that gorge carrying large trees and boulders, making volume of sound that could be heard for miles.
 This must be the richest natural conser. vatory in America, for in it we have col- lscted twenty.six different species, many of which are new to Arizona, and perhaps some of. them new to science. Specimens of all the doubtful ones have been sent on to Prof, Eaton, of Yale College for detcr- mination'