ENVIRONMENT 71 



Let us look at the life history of the cactus 

 as it unfolds itself, realizing the importance of 

 the simple fact that desert plants are usually 

 bitter, poisonous, or spiny. 



Here are plants which have the hardiness to 

 live, and to thrive, and to perpetuate themselves 

 under conditions in which other useful plants 

 could not thrive. 



Here are plants which, although there may 

 not be a drop of rain for a year, two years, or 

 even ten, still contrive to get enough moisture 

 out of the deep soil and out of the air, to build 

 up a structure which, by weight, is 92 per cent 

 water — plants which contrive to absorb from the 

 scorching desert, and to protect from the wither- 

 ing sun, enough moisture to make them nearly 

 as nutritious as beefsteak, watermelons, or pas- 

 ture grasses. 



Here are plants which are veritable wells of 

 water, growing in a land where there are no 

 springs, or brooks, nor even clouds to encourage 

 the hope of a cooling rain ; here are plants which 

 are rich in nutriment for man and the domestic 

 animals; here in the desert where the demand 

 for food is most needed — and the supply most 

 scanty. 



And here they are, ruined for every useful 

 purpose to man by the spiny armor which places 



