Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-03-08

receptacle of the juice of the plant and offers to the thirsty traveller from l to F gallons of almost tasteless wa ter.
 The dwarf cactus, called by Linneo cactus stellaris, but according to American botanists is classed amongst mammillariae, is pretty little bit of vegetation, mostly found on rocky hills, where it hides it's beautiful pur- pie flowers modestly between some stones. It frequently grows in groups and on account of its countless white thorns, which hide completely the pale green of the plant proper, is call ed by the Mexicans "cabeza de viejo" Gold mans head.) They use it quite extensively against inhamed eyes and ear ache, by heating it first and then applying the still warm juice locally.
 Of the Opuntia (prickly pear) l will only say that have seen it used in the French colonies of northern Ali rica, where it is known under the name of figue de Barbarie, as poul- tice against inhamed limbs of horses. It is too well known to require des- cription here, but I think that its pulp, which contains great deal of mucilageous matter, will sooner or later be made use of in various man. ufactures. It fruit is quite palatable.
 The Agave Mexicana, (American Aloe) has been called the century plant, because it was enormously sup posed that it bloomed but once in each one hundred years. Those who have only seen it growing wild in great pro- | fusion on our foothills and mesa lands would be astonished indeed, were they l to look upon the vast fields of this same Aloe in several states of Mexico
 where it is cultivated to a great and steadily growing extent. Many know
 that fiery liquid is distilled from it which comes upon the market as mes cal; but before the process of distil
 lation it has to go through state in
 which it forms a healthy, palatable
 and nutritious article of food which
 contains much sugar, by simply cut
 ting off the feshy leaves around the
 plant, leaving something like csb
 bage head, which is thoroughly roast
 ed in underground ovens. Where the
 Aloe is carefully cultivated it's leaves
 reach a length of 8 to 10 feet ant
 their flores, which are very tough anC
 strong, are manufactured (even by tht
 Yaqui Indians with their primitiv'
 tools) into all sorts of mating, ham
 mocks, cordage, etc., while the pull
 produces under the treatment of ade
 quate machinery, an excellent kind o
 paper extensively in use in the republi
 of Mexico.
 Inhabitants of this territory will al most daily meet with Indians peddlin the Amole (Mexican and Papago
 commonly called here soap weed; thi , is the Yucca Palmeri and produces 7 cleansing substance of such qualit : that manufactures have already bee l established Qately in New Mexico 3 which furnish an article second t . none.
 g The beauties of cacti blossoms ha, y been quite lately and extensivel r dwelt upon by able writers; therefor t what could I say more? what mo- |, than Thompson says in his immort r lines.
 a ''Who can paint
 Like Nature? Can imagination boast 7, Amid its gay creation, hues like hers? o 'Or can 1t mix them with that matchless ski . And lose them in each other, as appears e Tn every bud that blQws?"
 r. But besides the Cactaceae, which e have mentioned first on account y their profuseness, there are numb' l. less Yuccas of which one is called t 4s "glorious" because its stem suppol