A DESERT GRAVEYARD 159 



the pinkish purple tassel at the tip of his head in a dense mass 

 of long, tangled, cream-white wool. 



Candy Barrel Cactus (Echinocactus WisHzeni) 



Southern Arizona, Northern Mexico, and Western Texas 



The stems of this peculiar growth are used largely in mak- 

 ing the highly priced cactus candy, the fleshy part sliced and 

 soaked in water overnight, then cooked until tender in a 

 strong sugar solution and allowed to harden and crystallize. 

 A most tasty delicacy Is produced which is sold all over the 

 world as "cactus candy," and so popular is this rare sweet 

 both in the East and abroad as well as among tourists to 

 the desert that the Industry threatens to eradicate WisHzeni 

 and several other species of the Barrel Cacti. "Nigger 

 Head" is another designation for the Candy Barrel Cactus, 

 since this unique desert growth with Its fringe of a dozen or 

 so needlelike bristles resembles an affrighted southern "nig- 

 ger" with his hair all standing on end. The young plants 

 are globose and the older ones cyllndric, from one to seven 

 feet tall and a foot or two In diameter ; the threadlike bristles 

 are light gray and resemble an Insect's antennas, the four or 

 five stout central thorns rose-pink and yellowish mottled, the 

 lower one longest and strongly hooked, one to five Inches 

 long. Ferocactus WisHzeni or Fishhook Cactus, as this 

 BIsnaga is also called. Is one of the most striking cacti of the 

 desert areas, and Its presence always inspires considerable in- 

 terest; the spines are densely fine hairy, a characteristic 

 rarely noted among cacti. 



The Candy Cactus, also, goes under the name of "Travel- 

 er's Friend" or "Compass Cactus," and like Covillei it in- 

 variably leans toward the southwest and will direct aright 

 a lost traveler who Is versed In desert lore and can read the 

 signs of the land. Then too, if the top of stem or trunk is re- 



