Evening star., 1894-06-27

IL GROWS I'm Arizona Along With An.
other That Gives Light.
From the New York Sun.

FROM the New York sun
There are more queer things to the acre
In Arizona than in any other part Of this
wide land. said Col Brace Dion OF Houcx's
Tank. Apache county, land. according TO
my Idea and 1 know pretty near what
queer things are. the queerest thing in all
arizona Is the tree that has a temper worse
'hah piohoe comic opera prfma donna's,
and gets Its dander up with lust as small
provocation. They tell me out there that
this tree belongs to the coniferous species
1t grows to be something like twenty-five
feet high and then stops Its leaves ars
long, slender and pointed, IKE porcupine
quilts. When this tree is in a good humor
these leaves lie close TO the branches, and
IL spreads pleasant aromatic odor all
around. But when IL is angry every leaf
on the tree rises up on end. and the aspect
or that particular piece of timber is about
as herce and threatening as anything you
would care 10 look at The pleasant resin
Gus odor the tree sent forth In its peaceful
mood gives way TO an odor that will put
wings on your feet to place as much dis
tance as you can between the Offensive
tree and yourself
This tree is especially touchy on the
subject OF dogs, and the coming OF a canine
anywhere near II will Instantly make it
furious Yet a wolf. grizzly bear or q
mountain lion never ruffies the temper of
this tree IL those animals do not presume
on too great familiarity with It. They may
lie around IL as long as they care to. but II
one OF them 50 far forgets itself as to rub
or scratch the trunk OF the tree. the hot
tempered thing will fly into one Of its tan
trums Instantly. and the way Mr.. Bear,
Wolf or Lion will make himself scarce N
those parts is a whole circus TO see. Moth
ing VIII work this tree UP 10 concert pitch,
though. 30 quickly and effectually as throw.
Ing stones at It. Then IL will actually rim
and tear. and no living thing would thirk
of going within gunshot of IT, Some folks
out az Houck's Tank call this tree the
porcupine tree and some say its right
name Is skunk tree i call IL the holy ter
ror tree. But no matter what you call II, IL
Is queer job OF nature. and Arizona claims
IL as her own.
while this tree Is the only real Genuins
Gov Waite sort Of a vegetable Kingdom
crank we've got in Arizona, we point with
some more pride TO another tree that only
Arizona soil has the talent TO produce.
This one Is the electric light tree This
tree is not as abundant as the holy terror
tree, and is a dwarf. seldom having the
courage TO get more than twelve feet hiEh.
Its foliage is very dense. and at night 10
CLEANS like an arc light. The light that
shines from this tree Is so strong that one
may sit twenty-five feet away and read
fine print The queerest point OF this tree
is that its light begins to grow dim with the
coming of the new moon and steadily loses
brilliancy until the moon is full Then the
tree is as dark as a mine. When the moon
begins to wane the trees luminosity IL
gradually renewed. and by the time the
moon has disappeared the tree IL shining
again as brightly as ever. Sometimes the
light on this queer tree becomes faint even
In the dark OF the moon. Then We have TO
do a queer thirg 10 restore IL. We drench
II with bucketful or two OF water. ana
Instantly the enulgent glow will return IN
all its brilliancy."