Arizona republican., 1905-04-01
ARIZONA'S CACTUS
An Interesting Paper by hr. Geo. H.
 Smith.

SA1ASAs
 Mr. G. H. Smith, in charge of the | capitol grounds and the foremost au- | thority in the southwest on plant life, | contributes the following to the subject | of cacti and incidentally to evolution in | plants:
 "The interesting contribution in your paper of today on the above subject | may be somewhat misleading. The | study and culture of cacti is an old | subject, whereas it might be inferred l by 2 perusal of the article that the cultivation of cacti was matter of | today or yesterday. It may be said | here, perhaps, that the knowledge of them by botanists of a hundred years | ago would put in the shade the knowl- l edge of the same class of men of the | present day
 George Engelmann, M. D., made a study for years of the cacti along the borders of tSe United States and Mex leo and his report with drawings of them or their parts to the secretary of the interior in 1859 shows that he had intense and comprehensive knowledge of the cacti of Arizona and the south west. Besidess Engelmann, Wright, Parry, Bigelow, Nuttall, Emory Thur bur had looked them over and other bOtanists have done the same since then.
 In early pioneer days specimens of Arizona cactus were sent far and wide to plant-lovers. It may be known to some of your readers that more or less of 100 years ago. cactus plants were much sought after and cultivated for their unique appearance, but about hfty-five years ago the cactus fad was | TiGulaaaH Inv T1 te qualities.
 The writer has seen in cultivation many beautiful specimens of cactus and perhaps the most remarkable plant he has ever seen was a variety of the opuntia Cprickly pear) trained over a strong iron trellis occupying one side of a conservatory-abou forty years ago in a small village in the north of England. Although the culture of these plants fell away in England for a time yet today their culture and study is by no means meagre and many excel lent collections ere in existence and specimen plants in great variety in most greenhouses. The Teutons are not entitled to ell credit for collecting and distributing Arizona cacti-there have been Americans and others who have done much in this way and the writer in the spring of 1885 took col lection to England The TeutOns may rightly claim the credit of shipping them to Germany where they have been much noticed of late years. About thirty-fve years ago a piece of cactus travelled in 2 bale of wool from Persia to England and had probably been in the bale about a year when found. Though much dried it was planted and grew to a very handsome plant un- known locally. After two years it was exhibited as new plant at a horticul- tural show. While much admired lt was passed by by the judges for they recognized in it plant that had been cultivated and passed out of sight long years before.
 Several claims to new plants have been made as having been found in Arizona in the past few years, but after waiting awhile some old far-traveled botanist turns up to recognize in the new plant an old friend, and even Lu- ther Burbank, spoken of by your cor respondent as worthy of high praise for his development Of fruit and plants would tell you that he is only work ing on the same lines as other men now forgotten or little noticed who veolved our splendid fruits and vegetables and flowers from wild fruit and plants in nature Evolution as practiced by IOGllks IS dBA Ci0 SGAFDtAi N4liA AAs1lAS practitioners engaged in it today and whose efforts are well repaid as may he seen by perusal of the catalogues issued by seed men and nursery men for they keep tab on the march of the : evolution that IS going on all the time. From the writer's experience plant life will always respond to attention and care and much more may be expected from it by anyone who will intelligent ! ly select subjects for hybridization and patiently wait for results remembering in such work plants will breed back and such secured plants will be value ] less. Others will be like their parents and others have been impregnated with ] the progressive force and arc superior | to the parents in improved fruits and ! plants These are the wages nature l gives to anyone who will cultivate her. "Mr. Editor l have wandered a lit l tie from first thoughts. but if this mat 1 ter is not worth printing your waste | paper basket will be handy for it's re- | ception."
 Ye who are heavy laden come and