New-York tribune., 1900-09-02
CACTUS KNOLL"
A CURIOUS ROCKY GARDEN SPOT Be
TWEEN BRONX AND PELHAM PARKS.

parks may have noticed, just before crossing
the New York. New-Haven and Hartford RAN
way, a low mass Of rock lying about mile to
the north in the midst Of the broad salt marsh.
This is locally known Cactus Knoll from
the abundance of cactus growing on IT, and IS
the site of a monument Of some State or city
survey. Few Of those whose gaze rests upon It,
however are aware of the interesting features
that a closer approach presents to the scientist
The rocky pile is essentially island, al
though surrounded by a medium that partakes
rather more of the nature Of land than Of
water 1t can be reached foot from the
mainland only in the driest summer weather,
but deep and winding creek-a mere drain for
the swamp beyond-hows past its base to Pei
ham Bay, and along this natural highway its
visitors usually travel AS one approaches II he
cannot fail to be struck with the thought that it
is quite out Of place in this marshy expanse
The gray igneous rock Of which it is composed
is the same as that which underlies so much Of
Manhattan and The Bronx but here it is distant
half mile or more from any other ledge. Per
haps there is underground connection. but it
looks if it might be great bOwlder dropped
here by some glacier during the Ice Age. At any
rate. its flora is very different from that of the
nearest solid land, and this is the point that
interests botanists
Although it Is not large as a city house
about fifty different kinds of plants manage to
exc out existence on it's barren fianks. The
cactus is the most plentiful. roofing in the thin
soil and fairly smiling in the steady downpour
of heat from an August sun. Its leaves have
fat and well fed look and are studded over with
the top shaped "prickly pears" which later in
the year are edible. On the north end is a large
clump of service berries-large, juicy, purple
tinted fruits, like tiny apples, in clusters, after
the manner of the currant. They also are edible
sweet and well favored. but few except the
botanist know them. The bittersweet here finds
soil and moisture sufficient to produce its scar
let and orange fruit which it faunts in pleasant
contrast to the gray berries Of the poison sumac
and the deep blue ones of the Virginia creeper
1t is something of a surprise to many people
TO be told that cacti found in many places
where a more luxuriant flora prevails. Several
species found the plains far north as
the Dakotas and Minnesota, and one strays into
Manitoba. In the Atlantic States the ''prickIy
pear (Opuntia vulgaris) which is one species /
of cactus. reaches the northeastern limits Of its
range in Massachusetts and is fairly common
in the vicinity of New-York City.
Like all cact it loves the sun although ac-
cepting winters Geld with equal composure and /
true to its instincts, here selects the most ex-
posed places for its home In the northern part
of the city in the three great parks. it may
frequently be found basking in the sun on the /
crests of exposed rocks, roofing in soil SO thin /
that it is a perennial wonder how it lives at all /
1t also has a residence in Central Park on the /
rocks near Fifth-ave In such rocky situations /
it seems scarcely in keeping with the scene No /
matter now often it is passed, its unusual form |
seldom becomes completely blended with the
other vegetation. But in the sand barrens' of
Long Island and New-Jersey it gives the finish /
ing touches to the picture of barrenness sprawl /
ing over the hot sand in places where nothing /
else will grow.
Many of those who chance to find this plant |
take the fiat joints of the stem for leaves. The |
real leaves are seldom noticed. They are thin
narrow, scale like structures that appear of
little use TO the plant and soon fall away. From
their axis ire commonly produced small spines |
or bristles which protect the plant from grazing
animals. All the functions of leaves are per-
formed by the stems. The cactus understands
how to reduce living to it's simplest terms 1t
is as il it had withdrawn both leaves and
branches inside its trunk, resolved to take
everything serenely. In the place of the bark
the stem is covered with thick epidermis that
is slow to part with the moisture intrusted to
it, let the shine as hot as il will II lives /
slowly like the toad
The flowers appear in June from the edges of
the fiat stems and are among the handsomest
blooms that the barrens produce. They are vel
low in color. with numerous petals and stamens
h