Arizona republican., 1895-12-12
ARIZONA'S DESERT FLORA
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and diverge in all directions from a common center.
 If viewed from a distance or seen in the magical light of an Arizona sky the Yucca presents a fantastic appearance, and might easily be mistaken for the plumed topknot of some proWling Apache. As the new leaves grow out at the top they crowd the old leaves down until their free ends complete semicircle Hike a fully expanded fan. The dead leaves hang in successve layers and gracefully drape the stem with an artistically flounced skirt. When dry they readily ignite, and are sometimes used for light and heat by lost and belated travellers. They furn- ish valuable fiber that makes a su- perior paper. White threads are de- tached from their marg ns, which be- come interlaced and form fluffy fleece in which the birds love to nest.
 Another variety of Yncca is the Amole or soap plant (Yueca baccata.) Owing to the shape of the leaves it is sometimes called the Spanish bayonet. Its large feshy root is strongly sapona- ceous and is used by the natives in stead of soap. It bears large bunch of cream colored flowers, and natures an edible fruit that in taste and ap pearance resembles the banana. The Indians call it oosa and eat it both raw, or baked in hot ashes.
 There are several other varieties of |. Yucca all of which are handsome bloomers, and their masses of white flowers seen in the season of eff1ores- cence, are an attractive feature of the landscape.
 The prickly pear cactus, Or Indian fig, (Opuntia) is a numerous family. The soil and climate of the southwest from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific coast, seem to be just to it's liking. IL grows rank and in places forms dense thickets The root is tough hard wood from which it is said the best Mexican saddle trees are made The plant is an aggrega ion of large th ok oval leaves that are dotted with bundles of sharp needles. It is nutritious, and when ground to a pulp and mixed with cotton-seed meal is valuable for fatten- ing cattle. When roasted it forms a useful poultice.
 Its fruit is tart and not unpleasant to the taste. Care must be taken how ever to brush off it's microscopic e prickles before partaking, or the repast will not be enjoyable. A refreshing drink called colinche is made from the juice that has a deep red color and is sharp but agreeable to the tas.e.
 Ordinarily these desert plants are un- suitable as forage for range stock, either horses or cattle because of the T obo ooto ,1,1+ ,J, of drought when the grass and browse are short, cattle will risk being prick ed by the thorns in order to get some thing to eat, and will chew mescal, yucca and cactus, and find considerable sus tenance, enough, at least to keep them from starving. These plants are not nearly as abundant as they were few years ago, owing to the severe droughts of recent years and the over stocking of the range, and there is dan ger of t'heir becoming extinct
 The Saguaro Giant Cactus (Cereus giganteus) is one of natures rare and curious productions. It is a large round futed body, one foot or more in thickness and from ten to sixty f:et high The trunk is of nearly even d. ameter from top to bottom, but is a trife thickest in the middle. It is usu- ally a single perpendicular column, but sometimes bears several branches which start at right angle but bend up- ward in regular curves parallelling the trunk, that gives it the appearance of a mammoth candelabrum. Because of its immense size, shape and fiutings il Strikingly resembles Corin thean col umn. AS every thing in art tempt: to initiate something in nature, it is possible that Grecian arch.tec ture bor- rowed its pattern from the Gila valley which is the natural and only habitat of this singular plant and perhaps the only thing growing that could have suggested the design. It is a conspicu. ous object on the landscape, and has been we'll named the "Sentinel of the Desert
 Its large body is supported by g skeleton of wooden ribs which are helc in position by fbrous network that is filled with a green pulp. Rows o1 thorns ornament its fittings. They burn readily, and are used by the Apaehes for making their signal fires Some cactus trees are full of round holes that are made by birds, and are reminders of old dead trees in some eastern forest on which the industrious Moodpecker has done his work Wher it dies the pulp dries up and blows away and leaves standing a ,spectra white frame that looks ghostly in tht distance. The fruit is delic ous and i! in great demand by the Indians wht gather and use it in quantities. It is dislodged by the greedy birds who feet upon it, and arrows shot from bows, ol by poles in the hands of Indians Int natives regard it as a great delicacy and eat it both fresh and dried, or 1T the form of a thick treacle or preserve