The Arvada enterprise., 1921-08-04

(fz/WZ/H~
- ACTI are much Il part of the
desert as the sand and the binding
glare and the lack Of water The
!: !: !; z: !: !: !:
desert without the cactus would be
ike Hamlet with Hamlet left out
lI1fNnfI7S1n There are something like five mil
uVN(llIjIxW lion square miles Of desert seat
WIUW tered about the globe and 1t takes
II @@I about thousand species Of cact,
- TO go round.
But the traveller does not have
10 WISH oil the deserts Of earth to find variety
vi species Down on the border line between
the United States and Mexico there are famous
cactus areas. where this curious and interesting
plant may be found In bewildering variety Al
one end of the scale the desert wayfarer aees
the giant saguaros. 80 60 feet high futed COL
umhai forms with branching limbs and curvine
iines Close to the other end 10 the dreaded
cnoyas-iittle round patches Of glistening frosty
white. And under every bunch are the discarded
1o!nts' IKE little frosty pine cones covered with
spines Old desert travellers claim that the choya
n awe and leaps at man and horse. Certain II
70 that II seems impossible to avoid the steel-like
tnosns that pierce leather and flesh. Apparently
they are poison thorns. for the pain 10 like NO
other and almost uncomfortable: they sting and
bum and At the same time seem to freese-and
they stick like barbed nshhook.
On the other hand, there IL the bisasui cactus-
which has saved uncounted lives Of those who
know. Its barrel..hsneI mas. c,n,.,n. ar,d
resembling water: and It Ia COOL Then again.
there Is the cactus that furnishes "peyote"-A
stimulant Of which the Indians are % fond that
Congress has thought Of passing legislation to
control Its use As,in there .rs c.ct, 10, rr..
nish delicious fruits Som. n, m. c.c+, A.. ,ooa
eating. Some arr used for IN. m.nrs.c,r,. =,
a variety Of articles ranging from toothn,ch. ~
chairs. One kind of c.c,ns he. - r..d ~.
ages 4 hair brush.
In short. tbs c.c,u. Il. .,r,o., .. ,,...u, o., ~.
An,.r,c., =, ~. S.,,.s,,,... -. .' " ut
tho hn,r.,o No. ~ ~. - ~. .,. =" ue esn a.
\. mn vrondsr th., ~. go. 800. -
~ u.x,,. ~, -. -. - = "" .''e "se
th.t n !. IN. .,n,. oo,.,.. -. 80" ". """
Tho American .,.,.. -, ~. o..,n..". '''@ W
1890.
"a""o'o u nre the present uses OF the cactus
.nere every Indication that Its usefulness will
" e'u u! u"e ev"'o"oh ana development
u. "''ec'a' "''eue". For example, there Ia prob
nu'S ,u'"re 'oF the 'pine'ess cactus a. food
ior eat"e. An! Forage that can ne Grown on
'he desert w'thout IRRITATION and has food
value something like half that Of alfalfa II bound
70 nave future. Inc world II presumably to
near fnrther from Luther burbank's experiments
M r. l.. sherman. experimenting with spneiess
varieties, found that they were rich In sugar and
were nffed FOR the manufacture Of cheap candy
II II aiso cary to Imagine conditions few years
hence under which II will liz worth while T."
develop the fruits Of the cactus family.
3d. all In oil. the cactus family Ia one Of the
most interesting In the world. to say nothing Of s
value both actual nnd potential DR.. William
A. Murrsll Of the New York Botanical garden
haa written for the Scientific American Magazine
most Interesting article outlining the many
usea Of cact. The article In illustrated from
photographs BY courtesy Of the United States
National museum Says Doctor MuriIf:
II II estimated that there are three billion