El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-12


Democrat gives some interesting FACTS
about some of our familiar species OF
desert growth. How to utilize the vast
expanses of arid plain which charac-
terize certain portions of the sections
generally designated as the South
west" is a problem that has long baf-
ned the most ardent opponents OF deS-
ert reclamation. True, thousands or
acres of once utterly sterile land in
various portions of the section refer
red to, have, through irrigation, been
transformed into regions of SURPRISING
fertility But such possibilities are
comparatively limited, while beyond
the friendly water zones, there stretch
away immense tracts, which. familiar
western proverb declares, will raise
nothing but sand and cactus.
So long and persistently has this
idiom been banded about. that it Is
scarcely a wonder the last mentioned
Of the two features excepted SHOULD
come to be popularity regarded as 4
product of absolutely no intrinsic
worth. The idea, however, is deplor-
ably erroneous, and SO long as it con-
tinues to prevail, immense areas, cap
able of yielding princely revenues,
must remain in unclaimed idleneSS.
That substantial profits may be re
aiized from the cultivation of cactus
and kindred desert products is being
demonstrated in various other coun-
tries, where the conditions affecting
their growth and the possibilities OF
practical utility are alike inferior to
those offered by this. their infer
ior cline. The species of cactus indi-
genous to the wilderness districts of
New Mexico, Arizona and southeastern
California are upwards of 500 in num-
hor no N
those known as the cactus giganteus
and optunia tuna.
The former of these. as indicated 10y
its name. is a monster variety. the
elongated ribbed branches of which
reach to a height of from so to so feet.
The general aspect of this desert pro-
dizzy is grotesque in the extreme, its
lower branches rearing themselves
aloft with symmetrical Stateliness.
while those above reach downward and
outward. like the serpentine arms OF a
mammoth octopus. Another specimen
of the giant cactus presents the appeal
ance of a single towering column, with
perhaps a solitary abbreviated branch
near the apex, causing it, from lis
lance to closely resemble a telegraph
pole.
The commercial value that attaches
to this species of cactus is its adapta-
bility to the manufacture of paper. Re
cent experiments with the pulp yielded
by the tough fibrous element, so prev
alent in it's constituency, have demon
strated that a superior grade of paper
can be produced therefrOm, and. pro-
vided an adequate supply of the mater
ia1 can be developed. at a 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 ingredients. however. is by no
means ineXhaustible- According to
the latest statistics. there are at pres
ent operated in various parts of the
United States no less than 1921 paper
mills, with daily producing capacity
of 20,9S6, $50 pounds of the perfected
ware. This enormous production req
resents an increase of 295 per cent
within the last thirteen years and. con-
sidering the rapid inroads made on our
supply of white pine and poplar. which
at present constitute the most econom-
ical basis in paper-making, the neces-
sity of supplementary material must
eventually be manifested.
The present growth of cactus on our
great southwestern plains, while ex-
too scattering to form a permanent
source of supply as a paper producer.
which circumstance, however, could
readily be overcome by propagation
in districts suited only to this aud
kindred industries. The whole organi-
zation of this desert product adapts it
to the endurance of continuous drouth
while little or no earth is required for
its support In it's wild state the mere
falling of a detached bulb on the arid
sands is sufficient to insure the sub
sequent appearance of an additional
specimen, which natures with great
rapidity. Hence, the cultivation of
immense forests of this future COM
modify could be accomplished with the
utmost facility. In addition to its
value in purely mechanical sense.
the giant cactus produces in it's sea-
son delicious fruit, the crimson pulp
of which the Indians of Arizano and
New Mexico make into preserves of
singular excellence. which fact involves
a suggestion as 20 what might be &C
complished. similarly. on a more tx
tensive scale.
A more Immediately resourceful den
1ze nof the desert. closely allied to the
giant cactus. but of an order distinct
ly peculiar to itself. is the Yucca bre-
vifolia, or yucca palm. as it is familiar
ly but enormously called. This strang-
est of trees is principally indigenous to
the great Mojave desert in southeast
ern California, where it thrives album
dainty. and with no other nourishment
than is afforded by the perpetual sun
shine of that otherwise desolate region
In appearance the yucca resembles
somewhat scraggly oak. entirely des-
titute of verdure, but bearing at the
end of each scrawny limb a curious
growth of bristling spines
The principal popularity of the yuc-