Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-13
Vineyard of 1000 Acres.

Chicago, New York and New Orleans.
Vineyard of 1900 Acres.
Other Italians. Germans and Frenchmen
are following the example Of Mr.. Guasti
and there are two large vineyards ad-
joining his upon thte desert that I told
you about One Of them consists of two
thousand acres another Of fifteen hun
dred acres. and elsewhere in Los Angeles
county are several others Of Ave hum
dred, six hundred and seven hundred
acres.
The chief wine is ordinary table claret.
but the company makes sherry, port and
other standard wines.
People are beginning to know more
about the desert, and 1t has merits that
were undiscovered until recently. There
are lots Of good qualities about 1t.
When a kind-hearted old lady. who be-
lieves that there is good in all Of God
creatures, was asked what virtue she
could find in the mosquito she replied
that it set US good example Of persever-
ance.
The botany of the desert is now the
cultural Department at Washington, the
Carnegie Institution. the scientific om-
cials of California, Arizona and other
states. and many private investigators
Botanical expeditions come out here every
year from colleges and universities In the
east, and they all find something that is
worth knowing about the desert. More
than 700 varieties of cactus alone have
been classified, and new ones are being
added to the list every year. More than
500 are represented in Shaw's Garden, st.
Louis, which is said to be the largest
and most complete collection.
e. W. Scripps has the largest number OF
plants Sin captivity on his ranch called
tween 5000 and 1900 plants Of $50 differ
ent varieties, and he employs DR.. c. r.
Orcott. a professional botanist, to travel
through the desert countries of America,
Africa and Asia looking for new varieties
At Ia stake Park, Los Angeles. are more
than 200 varieties. and the superintendent
says there was formerly garden at En-
cinitas. Cal. containing more than 400
varieties. but it was abandoned several
years ago. Some of the rarest specimens
were sent to the Agricultural Department
at washington, and the rest were sold to
collectors.
Cactus Gardens a Fad.
Cactus gardens have become a fad of
late years, like Orchids and more than
q thousand individuals are now raising
the spineless cactus. which has been de-
veloped by Luther Burbank at Santa
Rosa. Cal: by the Department OF Agri-
culture, at Washington. and by the Car
negie Institution at its botanical Iabo
ratOry at tucson. lou nnQ the SplnclcSS
cactus almost everywhere in this coun-
try now. for everybody who realizes it's
value is passing it along. 1t Is being cul-
tivated as q forage plant because of its
nutritious qualities and it's willingness
to grow in dry and rocky places where
no other plant can survive.
All desert plants have thorns or spines
as a protection against men and animals.
otherwise they would be exterminated.
They have a terrible struggle for exist
ence If let alone, and nature provided
them with weapons Of defense, SO that
they cannot be injured without inflicting
damage on the assailant. Now science is
seeking means to deprive them of this
protection in order to develop the pos
sibilities of value and usefulness and
to produce a food for the inhabitants of
areas that cannot be irrigated, and re-
claim for the benefit of animals and
mankind those vast stretches of arid and
rocky soil that are now worthless. Many
scientific men are devoting their atten-
ton to experiments to discover its utility.
to determine it's habits and to ascertain
the precise biological and physical con-
ditions under which the cactus grows,
in the hope that they can make 1t grow
more freely and promote its usefulness
and make it contribute to the wealth and
the welfare of mankind.
Freak Of Nature.
II is a curious freak IF nature and owl