The Dickinson press., 1897-07-17
cRUc,TIxIoN THORN.

CHUClfIHlON THORN.
A Strange Lesfless Desert Plant That
Grows In Arizona.
Arizona has strange desert plant
that possesses that which is of keen
interest for every man, woman and
child who has ever heard the story
of the crucifxion.
The plant lives, breathes and gains
its sustenance from the sun and the
air without the aid Of leaves.
There is halo of pious and histor-
ical interest about the plant, because
its branches are the same as those
with which the Jesus of Nazareth
was crowned on the heights Of Cal.
vary.
It is known as the "crucifxion
thorn" I" or, in Latin, the Crucifera
spinosa. It grows but in two spots
on the earth-.on the meeas Of Salt
river valley and in certain parts of
Palestine. The botanists know but
very little about ii, aside from the
fact that it is supposed to bea MEM
ber Of the quassia family by some,
while others declare that it will yet
be classed with the acacia group.
Professor Bessey, who occupies
the chair of botany at the Nebraska
university, is making an exhaustive
study Of the rare plant, and several
choice plants have been shipped to
him from Phenix. These were OBJ
tanned from large bushes which grow
at long intervals on the mesa to a
height Of from 12 to 1s feet. The
Mexicans know it as the "Palo
Christie, and the Catholic churches
in southern Arizona are always deco
rated with the thorny branches at
Eastertme.
Professor Bessey has made cross
sections out of previous specimens
sent to him from Phenix, and his
own language is that 'these sections
disclose a very rare and wonderful
plant Of which the botanical world
knows but very little"
The bushes as seen on the desert
not far from Phenix have a most
forbidding appearance. Only their
remarkable oddity attracts ones at
tention. All Of the plants Of the
desert have something to attract one
to them and offer a certain pictur-
esqueness and beauty, either Of form
or color, to the eye-all Of them ex-
cept this bush of wicked looking
thorns. The bushes are all thorns
and nothing but thorns, and their
wound is cruel and lasting, for there
is said to be poison lurking in the
tip of them. The poison is not dead
ly or even dangerous, but trouble
some and painful, and most pros
pectors would rather run into a
charge of buckshot than into a "cru-
.cifixion thorn" bush.
During ten months Of the year the
limbs Of the bush are absolutely
bare, except for its thorns. These
are from / inch to inches in length,
sharp as needles and fully as hard
and strong, only they are thicker at
the base and taper very gradually
to the point Of disappearance. Early
in the spring the "Palo Christie" puts
forth a tiny green blossom, which
soon ripens into clusters Of small,
yellowish berries. These are the
seed of the "cruoihxion" plants.
The most remarkable thing about
theee bushes is that they are sup
posed to take in their sustenanoe
through the inflnitesimally fine,
steellike ends Of the thorns, and,
though the thorns are very plenti-
full, yet the feeding and breathing
points must be so very small that
one can easily realize why the plant
has such a barren and unhealthy ap-
pearance. At its best, when water,
sunshine and good soil are at the
maximum and all the other trees and
flowers in the valley are cure for
weary eyes to look upon, the "cruci-
fixion thorn" seems to be poor,
half starved thing.-San Francisco
Call.
Fatal Ink.
German doctors have found In
making experiments with school