The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1921-08-04

~ lEGN,Z2AL
- ACTI are as much a part of the
desert ms the sand and the binding
M glare and the lack Of water. The
A desert without the cactus would be
@WK@9A like Hamlet with Hamlet left QUE"
ll1SS722T7H1li There are something like five mil
llNVlIIIUBl lion square miles Of desert scat
II WIIW tered about the globe and it takes
II tYS7 about a thousand species Of cacti
- to 90 round.
But the traveller does not have
to visit all the deserts Of earth to find variety
of species. Down on the border line between
the United States and Mexico there are famous
cactus areas where this curious and interesting
plant ~ay be found In bewildering variety At
one end Of the scale the desert wayfarer sees
the giant saguaros so 60 feet high futed col
umnal forms with branching limbs and curylng
lines. Close to the other end is the dreaded
choyas-little round patches Of glistenng, frosty
white. And under every bunch are the discarded
joints, Ike little frosty pine cones covered with
splnes Old desert travellers claim that the choya
is alive and leaps at man and horse Certain It
is that II seems impossible to avoid the steel-lke
thorns that pierce leather and flesh Apparently
they are poison thorns, for the pain is like no
other and almost uncomfortable; they sting and
burn and at the same time seem to freeze-and
they stick like a barbed lshhook
On the other hand, there is the bislgni cactus
which has saved uncounted lives of those who
know Its barrel shaped mass contains a fluid
resembling water; and 1t Is cool. Then, again,
there Is the cactus that furnishes "peyote"-a
stimulaut Of which the Indians are so fond that
congress has thought of passing legislation to
control its use. Again, there are cacti that fur
nish delicious fruits Some Of the cacti are good
ann f1p ,Pt, .
variety Of articles ranging from toothplcks to
chairs. One kind Of cactus has been used for
ages as n hair brush
In short the cactus is almost MS useful TO the
American Of the Southwest and to the Mexican as
the buffalo used TO be 10 the plains Indian il
Is no wonder that the cactus is seen on Inc flag
Of Mexico and many Of the oldtime coins and
that 1t is the state flower Of more than one of
the American states of the Southwest
Manifold as are the present uses Of the cactus
there is every indication that It's usefulness will
be extended by the evolution and DEVELOPMENT
Of special varieties. For example, there IS prob.
ably future for the splneless cactus as a food
for cattle. Any forage that can be grown on
the desert without irrigation and has a food
value something like half that Of alfalfa Is bound
to have a future. The world is presumably 70
hear further from Luther Burbank's experiments
Or. =. L. sherman experimenting with spineless
varieties, found that they were rich IN sugar and
were fitted for the manufacture Of cheap candy
II IS also easy to imagine conditions few years
hence under which 1t viii be worth while to
develop the fruits Of the cactus family.
So, all IN all, the cactus family is one Of the
most Interesting in the world to say nothing Of fts
value both actual and potential. Dr. William
A. Murrl ~ the New York Botanical garden
has written for the Scientific American Magazine
"a Iut o.tt,
uses Of cacti. The article Is Illustrated from
photographs by courtesy Of the United States
National museum Says Doctor Murrill:
1t IS estimated that there aro three billion
acres Of desert land IN the world; and II these
nottractve and unproductve wastes are ever
TO Blossom Ike the rose" II win be the cact
or plants similarly adapted to desest conditions
tina, will furnish the flowers Desert plants were
like other plants once, but the vital necessity
for preserving moisture gradually wrought a won
derful change In their appearance and structpr,,
Few OF the cacti now have any conspIcuo,s
leaves their place being taken nv Aattaned
joints, or pads, which are modified portions Of
the stem; and even the snip has become mucilagl-
nous or milky preventing the loss of water TO
the hot, dry air by which these plants are CON
tinuay surrounded, Spiues Of various shanqs
and sizes serve 10 protect them against grazing
animals that nre often killed when driven nv
hunger and thirst 10 dcyour these plants I'm splte
Of their spines The few forms of spneless cncti
that occur In the Wild state always frequent
rocky lodges and other situations that are mac
cessible to most animals, If not 10 al
! The number OF species OF cnctl Recognized IA
/ large amounting to about one thousdnd and half
OF these are round IN Mexico They vary from
tiny plants no bigger than ones finger 10 trees
60 feet In height presenting all manner OF queer
ana Interesting shapes and furnishing the botan.
lst with no end Of knotty problems Extensive
| collections of living plants may be seen under
glass at the New York Botanical garden, the De-
partment Of Agriculture IN Washington, and the
Missouri Botanical garden IN St. Louis while
others In the open nre to be found at Riverside.
California; Tucson, Arizona Meslla Park, New