The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-24
WEALTH IN DESERT PLAINS.
The Cactus That Grows In Arid
Wiidx Has Its Value

| that has long baffieAfthe most ardent ex-
| ponents of desert reclamation. True,
| thousands of acres of once utterly sterile
| land In various portions of the section
| referred to have. through irrigation. been
| transformed into regions of surpas sln &
fertility. But such possibilities are COM
| paratively limited, while beyond the
| friendly water zones there stretch away
| immense tracts, which. familiar West
| ern proverb declares, will raise nothing
| but sand and cactus"
| And yet that substantial profits may be
realized from the cultivation of cactus
and kindred desert products is being DEM
onstrated in various other countries.
| where the conditions affecting their
| growth and the possibilities of practical
utility are alike inferior to those offered
| by this, their native cline. The species
| of cactus Indigenous to the wilderness
districts of New Mexico. Arizona, and
| southeastern California are upward of 80
| IN number, the most common of which
are those known the Cactus giganteus
| and Optuntia tuna.
| The former of these, as indicated by its
| name, is a monster variety, the elongated
| ribbed branches OF which reach to a
height Of from so to 50 feet The general
1 aspect of this desert prodigy Is grotesaue
| in the extreme, it's lower branches rear
ing themselves aioft with symmetrical
| stateliness. while those above reach
! downward and outward, like the serpen.
| tine arms of mammoth octopus An
other specimen of the giant cactus pre-
! SCENTS the appearance of single tower
| Ing column, with perhaps solitary alb
breviated branch near the apex, causing
| it, from a distance, to closely resemble
| telegraphic pole.
Recent experiments with the pulp YIELD
| ell by the tough fibres of this species have
| demonstrated that a superior grade of
paper can be produced therefrom, and.
provided an adequate supply of the ma
terial can be developed, at much lower
! cost than from ingredients commonly in
use
The materials at present entering most
extensively into the manufacture of paper
in America are waste cotton and certain
wood fibres The supply of such ingred-
tents. however, is by no means mex
haustible. According to the latest statis-
tics. there are at present operated in
various parts of the United States no less
than 1,2I paper mills, with daily pro-
ducing capacity OF 20. 9S6 $50 pounds of the
perfected ware. This enormous produce
tion represents an increase of 295 per cent
within the last thirteen years, and. con-
sidering the rapid inroads made on our
supply of white spruce and poplar. the
necessity of other material must eventu-
ally be manifested.
The present growth of cactus on our
great Southwestern plains. while extern
sive, is under existing conditions too scat
tering to form a permanent source of sup
ply. but it is easy to cultivate it, In its
wild state the mere falling of detached
bulb on the arid sands is sufficient to en-
sure new plant. In addition to it's value
in a purely mechanical sense. the giant
cactus produces in its season a delicious
fruit, the crimson pulp of which the In-
dams of Arizona ana New Mexico make
into preserves Of singular excellence.
more Immediately resourceful denizen
OF the desert is the Yucca brevifolia or
yucca palm, as it is Familiarity but erro-
neously called. This strangest of trees il
Principally indigenous to the great Mo-
1ave Desert, in southeastern California.
where it thrives abundantly. and with M
other nourishment than is afforded by tina
perpetual sunshine OF that otherwise, des-
oiate region In appearance the yucca
resembles somewhat scraggy oak, en-
tirely destitute of verdure, but bearing at
the end of each serawny limb a curious
growth of bristling spines.
Fhe principal popularity of the yucca,
L
which possesses no grain but consists OF
an intricate and compactly interviewer
mass of wood fibres. These fibres are spe-
clany adapted to the manufacture of a
comparatively indestructible grade of pa
per, such as is utilized in the printing
or bonds and other Instruments recurring
extreme durability. Several years since
an English company made extensive pre-
parationS for the manufacture of Yucca
paper in southern California 10 be OK
ported 70 the British Isles. but it was
l,nauy decided that the transportation and
duties on the commodity. added to the cost
OF producing, were excessive, and the en-
terprise was abandoned. Had the venture
been dominated with the spirit of Ameri-
can perseverance and the product intend
ed for home consumption. there is reason
to believe the undertaking would have
proved success. A local company of
only limited capacity is at present active
~ engaged in producing from yucca wood
a tough, hbrouS material, which is utiliz-
ed for such purposes as bookblnding as
a substitute for felt. and for certain ae-
resSortes peculiar to the surgical science
The product, when subjected to special
treatment. is also extensively used as an
artificial roofing, its flexible character
idmitting of its conformity to the antique
nllnS effects so popular in architecture.
The method employed in producing this
species of yucca paper is unique in its
very simplicity, and consists merely in
placing the log in a rotary veneer lathe
where, by means of a keen horizontal
blade. it is literally drawn out into a
single continuous sheet. which may read
Lly be cut with shears. but, singularly
enough. will neither break nor tear
The cultivation of the Opuntia tuna cac-
Ius in the sterile foothill districts, where
I vegetables most pr0fusely, offers novel
in the restoration to this con-
-inent of the valuable cochiueal industry
.or which our climate is peculiarly adapt
ID. The native country of the ccchineaI
S Mexico. but through sheer neglect the
industry has been largely absorbed by
South America and the Canary Islands,
Whence comes the greater portion of the
supply. In rearing the cochineal insect
immense plantations of the tuna cactus.
frequently representing $1,000 plants each.
ire maintained. In addition to the reYe-
Tue derived from the insects it nurtures.
he fruit of the tuna, which is borne in
'reat profuSiOn, yields a rich crimson pig
nent of considerable value commercially
his fruit, which is commonly known as
he Indian tS or pric<ly pear. is highly
Steemed as an edible in southern E,IrOpe.
he Canaries and southern Africa, in
Thich countries it constitutes an impor-
ant product. The fruit Is also possessed
+ certain medicinal virtues, being freely
administered as a cooling drink in. the
ase of fever. and regarded as a valuable
amedy for the cure of ulcers.
The hardihood of the tuna cactus is
ute as remarkable as that of its ele-
hantine cousin previously referred to-
4 the countries where its commercial
atus is the highest, its cultivation is
ten successfully carried on in districts
lat have previously been absolutely in
nerated by volcanic action. In such re-
Ons the planting of the shrub is fire.
lently accomplished by merely thrust
8 one of the thorny sprouts into a cleft
lava rock. from which position it
eediiy develops into thriving tree on
) native American heaths the tuna, by
ason OF Hs more congenial environ
ents, attains to much larger proportions
an anywhere else in the world. vet its
lue III these parts has up to the rrcs
! Tune, been ., almost entirely overlooked
Nr~a1N. Ii.