The Idaho recorder., 1921-08-26

- ACT1 much part of the
desert the sand and the binding
glare and the lack Of water The
desert without the cactus would be
like Hamlet with Hamlet left out,
lllST~TrS1lf There something like i've mil
uNVllItvll lion square miles OF desert seat.
II VNlILx tered about the globe and IL takes
II ~H<7 about n thousand species OF eacti
to 20 round
But the traveller does not have
!" visit all the deserts OF earth to find variety
of species. Down the border line between
The United States and Mexico there are famous
cactus areas. where this curious and interesting
plant may be found In bewiidering variety. At
one end Uf the scale the desert wnyfarer sees
the giant saguaros. 10 90 feet high, nuted. col.
umnal forms with branching limbs and eurvina
Tines Close 10 the other end In the dreaded
chosas-lltte round patches Of giis,ening. frosty
while. And under every bunch are the discarded
Joints, like little frosty pine cones covered with
spines Old desert travellers claim that the choya
y alive aud leaps nj man and horse Certain II
u thni II seems impossible to avoid the steel-iike
shorns That pierce leather and flesh. Apparently
they are poison ihorns, for the pain Is like
pther and almost uncomfortable: they sting and
burn and nj the same time seem TO freexe--and
they stick like barbed nshhook.
On the other hand. there is the bisigni cactus
which has saved uneounted lives of those who
So"Ws It's barrelshhped mass contains q nuid
resembling water and " is cool Then. again.
here n the cactus that furnishes "peyote"-~-a
stimuant of which the Indians are 10 fond that
congress has thought Of passing legislation to
scntroi It's use. Again. there are cacti that fur
sish delicious fruits Some Of the cacti are good
sAtinx. Some are used for the manufacture Of
variety of articles ranging from toothpcks 10
.ssairr. One kind Of cactus has been used for
sgcs as a hair brush.
In short the cactus In almost as useful 10 the
American OF the Southwest and to the Mexican as
me bufraia used to be TO the plains Indian. II
no wonder that the cactus II seen on the flag
II Mexico and many OF the oldtime coins and
Hat II II the state flower OF than one or
The American states OF the Southwest
Manifold the present uses OF the cactus
there IN every Indication that its usefulness will
se extended by the evolution and development
d special varieties For example, there IL prob
ably future for the spinsi.ss cactus as n food
Tor cattle. ANY forage that can be grown on
the desert without irrigation and has a food
saine something like half thar OF alfalfa Is bound
10 hase future. The world Ii presumably To
hear further from Luther Burhank's experiments
br. U. l. sherman experimental. with splneiess
varieties. found that they were rich In sugar and
~ere nttea for the manufacture of cheap candy.
at Il also easy fo imagine conditions u few years
Fhence under which Il viii be worth while to
develop the fruits of the cactus family
80. MI IN all, the cactus family IL one OF the
nssst Interesting 10 the world. tn say nothing Of It's
value hoih actual and potential Dr William
A. MatrIll ~ the New York botanical garden
has written for the Scientific American Mngnxine
most interesting article outlining the many
at cart! The article IL illustrated from
photographs hy courtesy ot the United State.
National museum. SAYS Doctor Mnrriil
II u estimated that there are three hilllot
~ dessert land in the world and. 10 thes.
nnnifrHrtlse and nnproduetive wastes ar. eve,
444.s he
or rlant@ similarity adapted 10 desert condition,
tat VIII furnish the nowers. Desert plants wer,
tie other plants once, but the vital neeessit,
fsr rF1.esrNine mos sture gradually wrought n won
aeffei cs.anEe In their appearance and structure
Fs-w IL thr cseEi pow have any eonSpieuou
t.aNrs theiF pinee being taken hy nattene,
testt~ uHds which arr modified portions {,
ttp Ststn pua esen The sap taS become mucila ri
uesle 81 mHsF. preventing the loss of water Il
49, tat tlfs aiF b. which THESE plants are cou
tUea1iK tuEvubdst Spluts % yArtoas share
srd srr,e - protect them against IRA ain
nrtsHis t'sr often killed when driven b
hrerf 9aa ih't.i - atSoar these t4ants Ia spit
~ f'ssat s.sast. TIE Tea Terms - stinrless cec
q asE4e IA he nt1 sflte always ffequet
f"s t,ssae- and other situations that are ina
#dH m"ei aHifaRls. u mot 81 nu
5y fniaaet q sI@strs ~ eactl recognized
- Heaat8leE ta abaut thensnnd and ha
~ .ys- 4e found iu Nes,eo They vary fro
trH t9ants bisFvr tlsh aues uue.r to tre,
90 - 3u height. present NJ aH tuuuner OF que,
AZ ia'errstfus shaf.*s Baa furnishing the beta
g. n 80 end q tn"fty problems ExtruSi,
ea''e-fi4H- - living plants mpy ~ seen md
o. So tie New 1ure BaiAneal Garden the Il
pAstfasni ~ Agriculture IN Washington and 4
b sean H"'anicni garden IN ST Louis. VII
a. n Ia n" opsn be found AZ Riversl,
ssaiferilsa Tucson. Arizona Mesiila Park n,