Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-02

One of the most interesting cacti in the
gardens is what is commonly known as the
bishops bonnet-or bishops inter. The en-
tire plant is covered with a fine network
Of sharp needles.
Not the least Interesting of the great col
lection of lighters as the old gardener
calls his cacti, is the Calvary cactus, or
"crown Of thorns," as 1t is generally called.
There is an old theory which dates back
hundreds of years, which declares that from
this species of cactus was made the crown
which pierced the brow Of Christ. Certain
1t is that this thorny bush is indigenous
to the Holy Land and 1t was from there that
the specimen which is now in the botanic
gardens was brought.
The spider web, the West Indian fence,
the prickly pear the hedge hog and all the
others are there with their technical names
placarded upon them, but familiar to the
visitor from the arid lands by their common
titles. One Of the finest specimens extant
Of the spider web is at the botanic gar
dens, and Just now it is beautiful with its
natural waterproof wool tufts growing out
to protect the tender new shoots. This
wool substance is absolutely impervious to
water and appears on the plant during the
wet seasons especially, and sheds all damp
ness from the top OF the plant where the
growth appears.
There are two specimens OF the euphor-
bia lactea monstrosa, which are the poison
Gus cacti. One Of these is more deadly
than the other, but both are risky plants
to handle unless one is familiar with such
work and trained to extreme care.
There is also the jumping cactus. which,
when approached, is drawn to one as a
needle to a magnet, and plerces whoever
gets too close to it. Then there are the
Indian we'll cactus, thorny plants from al
most every tropical country OF the world,
and every variety known to be Indigenous
to American soil. California, Arizona, New
Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming,
Kansas and all the western states whose
plains and deserts produce these sharp lit
tie vegetable weapons have contributed to
the miniature desert OF the botanic gardens.
Nor are the sage brush, the mesquite, the
grease wood, the paola verde and innumer-
able leaiess shrubs which thrive on the
western wastes missing from this remark
able botanical collection.
The cab drivers OF Washington have been
trying to break up the business OF a con-
Germ that is running what are known as
Seeing Washington" cars in a continuous
trip over all the lines Of one of the street
car companies IN OTQeT 10 take IN all the
sights OF the capital. The cabmen allege
that the cars are run in violation of the
charters of the street car companies and
OF the general law regulating such trafic.
The other day the district attorney rendered
a decision sustaining the seeing cars,
which, he says, in no way conflict with the
time schedules OF the street cars, and give a
service entirely different from the ordinary
street car service.
There is one little girl in Washington
who recently gave her parents an exhi-
bition OF her nature for which they we're
totally unprepared. The child was cross
eyed, and her afiiction was a source OF
extreme annoyance to herself and family,
relates the Washington Post. An oculist
was consulted, who advised an operation TO
remedy the defect, and so II was decided
to take the little one to a hospital in Bal
timore. The utmost secrecy was observed
in the matter. Miss Annie had once made
a great fuss about having a tooth pulled,
and, Of course, 1t was to be expected that
she would enter serious objections TO an
operation on her eyes.
She was taken to Baltimore under the i'm
preston that she was going on = pleasure