Leather-Winged Bat

Emerging from its inky desert cave in the Mule Mountains west of Blythe, California, is this bat, photographed by L. D. Schooler of Blythe, this month's first prize winner. The photograph was made with a rolleicord camera on Plus X film; f. 16 at 1/500 second with flash.

Pietutes of the Month

Salt Sculpture

Second prize winner is this fantastic work oi Nature on an upthrust block of salt at the Devil's Golf Course in Death Valley. Photographer Oscar Perrine of Riverside, California, has titled this picture, "St. George and the Dragon." Camera data: 8x10 Eastman View Camera, f. 6.4 at one second. DESERT CflLEriDRR April 28-29, May 5-6—Ramona Pag- eant, Hemet, California. April 28-May 20—22nd Annual Jun- ior Indian Art Show, Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff. May 1—San Felipe, New Mexico, Indian Pueblo Fiesta and Spring Corn Dance. May 1—Palo Verde Old Settlers' Re- union, Buckeye, Arizona. May 1-20—University of Arizona Art Show, Phoenix Art Center. Volume 19 MAY, 1956 Number 5 May 2-5—Las Damas Trek, Wicken- burg, Arizona. May 3 — Santa Cruz Corn Dance, COVER Havasu Falls, Arizona Taos, New Mexico, Pueblo. Cere- Photograph by JOSEF MUENCH monial Races Begin at 8:30 a.m. PHOTOGRAPHY Pictures of the Month 2 May 4-5—Eastern New Mexico Uni- CALENDAR versity Rodeo, Portales. May events on the desert 3 FIELD TRIP May 4-6—Turtle Races and Carnival, Augustine Pass Agates Joshua Tree, California. By HAROLD O. WEIGHT 4 May 4-6—Fiesta de Mayo, Nogales, CONTEST Picture-of-the-Month Contest announcement . . 8 Arizona. EXPERIENCE Phantom Fox of the Desert May 5—Mexican Independence Day. Local Celebrations Along Border. By CAP and OLGA SMITH 9 GHOST TOWNS Pilgrimage Into the Past May 5 — Palm Springs, California, Desert Museum Field Trip to Mis- By NELL MURBARGER 11 sion Canyon. PERSONALITY Perhaps the Thorny Plants Are Useful May 5-6 — Annual Rodeo, Saugus, By ROBERT FRANKLIN AMES 16 California. NATURE The Beetle Worth Its Weight in Gold May 6—Annual Rose Festival, Tomb- By EDMUND C. JAEGER 19 stone, Arizona. CLOSE-UPS About those who write for Desert 20 May 6—Desert Vegetation Tour and HISTORY Palo Verde Festival, Tucson, Ariz. Old Woman Springs, by WALTER FORD . . 21 BOTANY May 9-12—Junior Livestock Show, The Elusive Hop Hornbeam Spanish Fork, Utah. POETRY By ELIZABETH RIGBY 22 May 11-13—San Juan Sheriff's Posse Desert Owl and other poems 24 Rodeo, Farmington, New Mexico. PRE-HISTORY Tsay-Begay, by JOHN L. BLACKFORD ... 25 May 12-13 — Masters' Tournament, INDIANS Taos, New Mexico, Ski Valley. The Day We Ate Prairie Dogs May 12-27—30th Annual Wildflower GARDENING By JOE KERLEY 26 Show, Julian, California. Mums in a Desert Garden May 13—Horse Show, Sonoita, Ariz. LETTERS By RUTH REYNOLDS 27 May 13—Pictograph Tour of White FORECAST Comment from Desert's Readers 29 Oaks-Three Rivers area, from Ala- FICTION Southwest river runoff predictions 30 mogordo, New Mexico. NEWS Hard Rock Shorty of Death Valley 30 May 14-15—San Ysidro, New Mex- ico, Procession and Blessing of the TRUE OR FALSE From here and there on the desert 31 Fields. MINING A test of your desert knowledge 34 May 17-20—22nd Annual Elks Hell- URANIUM Current news of desert mines 36 dorado and Rodeo, Las Vegas, Nev. HOBBY Progress of the mining boom 37 May 18—Donkey Circus, Evergreen Gems and Minerals 40 Park, Mesa, Arizona. LAPIDARY Amateur Gem Cutter, by DR. H. C. DAKE . . 45 May 18-19—Black and White Days, COMMENT Richmond, Utah. BOOKS Just Between You and Me, by the Editor ... 46 May 26—Fiesta of San Felipe de Reviews of Southwestern Literature .... 47 Neri, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Desert Magazine is published monthly by the Desert Press, Inc., Palm Desert, California. Re-entered as second class matter July 17, 1948, at the postoffice at Palm Desert, May 26-27—Annual Stampede, Lone California, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Title registered No. 358865 in U. S. Patent Office, and contents copyrighted 1956 by the Desert Press, Inc. Permission to reproduce contents Pine, California. must be secured from the editor in writing. May 26-27 — Junior Giant Slalom, EUGENE L. CONROTTO, Associate Editor Taos, New Mexico, Ski Valley. RANDALL HENDERSON, Editor BESS STACY, Business Manager EVONNE RIDDELL, Circulation Manager May 26-27—Grubstake Days, Yucca Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs submitted cannot be returned or acknowledged Valley, California. unless full return postage is enclosed. Desert Magazine assumes no responsibility for damage or loss of manuscripts or photographs although due care will be exercised. Sub- May 30-31, June 1-2—Elks Rodeo, scribers should send notice of change of address by the first of the month preceding issue. Carlsbad, New Mexico. SUBSCRIPTION RATES May 30-June 17—Exhibition of Pho- One Year $4.00 Two Years $7.00 tographs devoted to the architecture Canadian Subscriptions 25c Extra, Foreign 50c Extra of the Southwest, Museum of Subscriptions to Army Personnel Outside U. S. A. Must Be Mailed in Conformity With Northern Arizona, Flagstaff. P. O. D. Order No. 19687 Address Correspondence to Desert Magazine, Palm Desert, California

MAY, 1956

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In Augustine Pass. This level area makes an excellent camping and picnicking place. Agate, chalcedony and crystal geodes can be collected on the low rises and slopes, center.

Pinto Basin to Highway 60-70. All Bradshaw Trail at 25.5 miles from 60- canic rock and there were nodules, but a few miles of this road have been 70, wandering northeasterly toward a crystal geodes, little stone roses and oiled by the Park Service. low saddle just east of tumbled volcanic broken bits of vein. Some showed Reaching 60-70, we turned eastward peaks. While there are a few short plume of mottled white and a little had through Shavers' Summit, leaving the sandy stretches before reaching this the greenish inclusions Lucile was par- highway again 10.3 miles east of Sha- point, the worst part of the road is the ticularly seeking. This area can be vers' and 1.3 miles east of the Kaiser first mile after leaving the Bradshaw reached easily on foot from the sum- railroad crossing. The right-angled in which three washes must be crossed. mit, and it earnestly is recommended south turnoff is just east of a highway From the washes to the pass, another that passenger car drivers do not at- bridge, and is marked only with a sign: mile, the road is reasonably good. tempt to go down into this canyon. "Not a Through Road." We left this We checked several times before Back in the pass, we ate lunch while road at its first inconspicuous left reaching the summit, finding every- enjoying the wide and magnificent view branch, marked by a Sweeney Tung- where scatterings of chalcedony or ag- to the north and south. But our en- sten Mine sign, at 1.7 miles from the ate or chalcedony roses. After passing joyment was shattered by the sudden highway. through a fine open camping and pic- clatter of machine guns. High over- We kept left again at a fork about nicking area at the summit, the trail head between us and crowded Highway two miles from the highway and then plunges steeply down a narrow, twist- 60-70 appeared military aircraft tow- turned right along the pole line after ing, sandy, rocky canyon. In places ing targets, followed by gunnery planes going 3.8 miles. About 12 miles from we were forced to see-saw around turns diving on and firing on the targets. 60-70 this pole line road enters the and at times the car clambered over The Military asserts that it needs its Navy's Chocolate Mountains holdings little rocky cascades. We passed be- enormous ranges so that by no acci- and is blocked by iron gates. At this yond the Tertiary volcanics interesting dent, bad judgment or carelessness will point it is crossed by the old Bradshaw to rockhounds almost as soon as we a citizen outside those boundaries be Road, and we turned left (eastward) entered the canyon, passing through a injured or his property damaged. Yet on that, roughly paralleling the Big long stretch of contorted metamorph- all the Chuckawalla Mountains—Big Chuckawallas. ics. and Little are outside the Navy's huge At 22.5 miles we passed a recently Climbing back to the summit we 200,000 acre Chocolate Mountain scraped road cutting northward into stopped at the foot of the last steep aerial gunnery empire. The Bradshaw the Chuckawallas to active mining upward pitch. Eastward from here col- Road marks the posted boundary of claims near Cap Hunter's old cabin. lecting material was abundant. Chal- this range—and we were two miles The Augustine Pass road leaves the cedony eroded thickly from brown vol- from that boundary and only about

MAY, 1956 AUGUSTINE PASS COLLECTING^ AREA

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10 miles from a transcontinental high- Augustine Pass Log From they needed a little gold to transmute way. Highway 60-70 into bacon and beans, or at least some We had heard several reports of 00.0 Turnoff from Highway 60-70. 10.3 indications which would promote an- such Navy violations in this area, and miles east of Shavers Summit. 9.3 other grubstake. a few years ago a mine owner in the miles west of Desert Center. So Augustine went on, and in the Big Chuckawallas had his buildings 01.7 Branch. Take left. Do not cross or parallel Kaiser Railroad. canyons below he found enough gold punctured by diving and strafing planes. to allow him to settle down and build Ignorance of boundaries cannot be 02.0 Second branch. Keep left. 03.8 Turn right along power pole line. a cabin. His cabin was within two or claimed, unless pilots cannot tell the three miles of Chuckawalla Spring, but difference between a valley and a 12.0 Pole line road enters Navy aerial gunnery range immediately after so rugged were these miles that his mountain range. Yet the boundaries crossing old Bradshaw Trail. Turn burro supply train continued to oper- are posted with warnings that civilian left (eastward) on Bradshaw Trail. ate through the pass he had opened. trespassers—who only endanger them- 22.5 New scraped road branches left. And when the first automobile — a selves—face fine and/or imprisonment! Continue on old main road. Model T piloted by Ed Rochester and Until this dangerous trespass is halted 25.5 Turn left on Augustine Pass road Earl Kerr—came to his cabin, it fol- it is safer to visit the Chuckawalla gem from Bradshaw Trail. 27.5 Augustine Pass. lowed that same burro trail. Ed and fields only on weekends. Earl came to placer a wash near Au- Machine gunning was one hardship gustine's and their road-making tools not faced by prospectors attracted to were picks, shovels, sledges — and the Big and Little "Chuckies" in early Spring, then packed his desert canaries plenty of muscle and time. times. C. R. Orcutt, in an 1890 Cali- and punched them across Paradise "It took half a day to work down fornia Mining Bureau report wrote: Valley into the Chuckawallas where he from the pass into the wash," Ed told "There is scarcely a quartz ledge in the spent most of his remaining life. me recently. "And the wash was so Chuckawalla Mountains that will not Probably he noticed and pondered narrow and twisty we had to jack the yield a color to the industrious pros- upon these chalcedony roses, agates car around corners!" pector. Wherever the prospector has and geodes. The most all-observant Ed and Earl placered several hun- used a pan on the mesa-like formations and all-curious humans ever to roam bordering the depressed basin, he has dred dollars out of their wash and our deserts were members of the pros- then coaxed the Model T back out of been rewarded with at least a color. pector tribe and their predecessors and In every wash throughout the Chucka- the canyon. Occasional later travelers contemporaries, the desert Indians. kept the road up, after a fashion, until wallas, I am informed, gold has been And we know the Indians found these found wherever sought with intelli- the Imperial Valley rock collectors ar- rocks. An old trail cuts across the rived in the '30s. gence." pass and at a campsite near it we saw broken pottery and agate chippings. When Martin Augustine died—Ed Martin Augustine, for whom this believes in the early '40s — he hadn't pass was named, was one of the seek- But prospectors had to concentrate made a fortune from the Chuckawallas. ers. He appeared on the Colorado on the precious metals. Pretty stones Desert miners and prospectors face Desert, according to Ed Rochester, had little commercial value. And hardships and problems almost incon- about 1916-17, coming from South though their requirements were meager ceivable to us. America. He worked the Chocolates by our standard of necessity, the old- Dave and Anna Poste can tell about around Beals Well and Salvation timers did have to eat. Periodically that. The Postes came to Twentynine DESERT MAGAZINE Palms in the winter of 1923-24 with a lease on the big Virginia Dale gold mine, inoperative since 1909. From Whitewater out, the road was either sharp rock or soft sand, and Anna examined the tires repeatedly to see if they were going to survive. "What possessed anyone to come out here in 0 the first place?" she wanted to know. "Probably," Dave suggested cheer- fully, "most of them were about three jumps ahead of the sheriff." "The sheriff was crazy to follow ;C 1 I them out here!" Anna decided. But she felt differently when at the Virginia Dale they cut off the motor and the magnificent living quiet of the desert closed warmly around them. "You could have heard a whisper a mile away," Dave remembers. Dave and Anna worked for 18 Anna Poste taught herself rock cutting and polishing and jewelry making months to get the old mine into opera- —by reading and doing—before there was a gem society in Twentynine tion. For years assessment work had Palms. been done by shooting down the roofs of the different levels. On first inspec- tion they had to crawl through the books and by practice how to cut and roads washing out of existence, old tunnels over the muck on their hands polish stones and make jewelry. Today tunnels cut laboriously into deceitful and knees. All that had to be cleared. the Postes find as much pleasure hunt- rock, makeshift and collapsing shacks And at first they hauled their water ing rocks as they once did the more in lonely canyons. 20 miles from Twentynine Palms oasis. elusive gold veins. And I doubt that 1 feel no sense of failure or waste or On Sundays the whole crew would go they regret the hard knocks that mak- futility about these fading evidences of to the oasis, bathe in a bathroom im- ing a living on the desert has entailed, men's toil. I think these people provised of canvas spread around mes- as compared with the easier years in achieved the only kind of success hu- quites, and scrub out their clothing. the city. mans can achieve. They lived where Then the Postes put the well at Old And I doubt if Martin Augustine they chose and worked at their chosen Dale, four miles from the mine, into would willingly have lived any other tasks, harsh and unrewarding though operation, mortgaging their San Ber- sort of life, no matter how small the the chosen tasks may have been. Their nardino home for pipe to pump water golden returns of his Chuckawalla relics are monuments of one facet of up to the mine. A freeze caught the claims. One of the pleasures of rock the spirit which for so long made line and it took a day and a half to hunting to me is the coming upon old America the citadel of human freedom. weld the leaks. Today Dave and Anna differ whether the ore run through the mill returned Lucile and Anna Poste discover pottery sherds and agate chippings at an $194 or $147. They are agreed that old campsite near the pass, evidence that desert Indians were early collectors they left the Virginia Dale with $18 in here. cash. Anna, remembering the San Bernardino home they had lost, pointed at portions of the pipe line as they traveled toward Old Dale. "That's the bedroom," she said, "and that stretch is the living room, and there's the kit- chen." "On the surface the ore ran $6-$8 a ton," Dave explained, "with an 18- inch to two-foot vein. The deeper it went, the better it got. On the 300 it ran about $20. The trouble was the country out here has been so shattered you'd be driving along the vein and suddenly you'd strike country rock! Maybe 100 feet before you picked it up again. Then there'd be an 80 foot break and you'd have to drive one way or another!" Interested in pretty rocks from the first days on the desert, before there was a gem society or craft classes at Twentynine Palms, Anna learned from

MAY, 1956 rels. Never a menace to man, it is Desert Protective Council Would entitled to protection. Coyote. While the coyote is re- garded as an aid to agriculture to the Revise California Hunting Laws extent that it destroys such agricultural Radical revision of California laws 6—The family Mustelidae (marten, pests as mice, gophers and insects, it relating to predatory animals is urged fisher, wolverine, weasel, skunk, mink, also becomes a threat to stockmen in a resolution adopted by the Desert badger). where it is abundant, and its removal Protective Council at a meeting held The Council's recommendations as from the predator list was not recom- in Borrego Valley in March. to these animals follows: mended. The action of the Council was in Shrew. The shrew is a predator only Cats. It was suggested that feral accord with recommendations made to the extent that it preys on tiny ani- cats — that is, domestic cats which by its Wildlife Committee composed mals of no concern to mankind. Rec- have reverted to the wild — do more of J. D. Goodman, chairman, Univer- ommended that it be removed from the damage to wildlife than does the wild- cat. It was recommended that the sity of Redlands; R. B. Cowles, UC- predator list. LA; W. P. Taylor, Claremont; L. H. feral cat be placed on the predatory Benson, Pomona College and E. R. Wolf. There is considerable doubt list. Also, that any cat is a predatory Tinkham, Indio. as to whether or not any of the native animal unless in the residence of its wolves survive in California, and in Predatory animals, according to the owner or on grounds adjacent to the view of its rarity, it is proposed that residence. California Fish and Game Code, are it be removed from the list. listed as follows: Weasels, Skunks and Racoons. Rec- 1—The order Insectivora (moles Mountain Lion. The Council took ommended that they be removed from and shrews). the view that as a result of bounty the predatory list and classified as fur- 2—The order Marsupialia (opos- hunting this animal is near extinction bearing species. However, it was felt sums) . in many parts of the West. It was pro- that the owner of property should have 3—The order Rodentia (rats, mice, posed that it remain on the predatory the privilege of destroying such animals gophers), except tree squirrels, flying list, but that the California bounty as cause destruction on said property. squirrels and beavers. ($60 for female and $50 for male) be Gopher. A nuisance animal rather 4—The family Canidae (wolves, removed. than a predator, but should remain on coyotes, foxes). Ringtail Cat. Found only in the the predator list. 5—The family Procyonidae (ring- arid regions. A shy animal which lives California Ground Squirrel. Be- tail cat, racoon). mostly on woodrats and ground squir- cause of its potential danger as a plague reservoir, it should remain on the predator list, but wholesale poison- ing is not favored because of the dan- ger to other forms of wildlife. Mohave (or antelope) Ground Picttife-of-the-Month Contest... Squirrel. For the most part a dweller No other region on earth offers the wide range of subjects, pano- of the desert, and since it seldom en- ramas, vistas, shadow patterns—or happy people enjoying themselves croaches on human habitations or ag- in a delightful playground—as does the Desert Southwest. The Picture- ricultural areas, should be removed of-the-Month contest is a good way to make that hobby pay off in from the predator list. cash as well as in the satisfaction of seeing your work in print and Kangaroo, Packrat, Pocket Mice and knowing that thousands of readers are enjoying the scenes which White-Footed Mice. For the most part once stood before your camera. nocturnal rodents, and while the Coun- cil did not favor giving them protec- Entries for the May contest must be sent to the Desert Magazine tion, it was felt that it was inaccurate office, Palm Desert, California, and postmarked not later than May 18. to classify them as predatory animals. Winning prints will appear in the July issue. Pictures which arrive The California code classifies the too late for one contest are held over for the next month. First prize following birds as predatory: Bluejay, is $10; second prize $5. For non-winning pictures accepted for publica- English sparrow, great horned owl, tion $3 each will be paid. sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper's hawk, duck hawk, house finch, crow, black- HERE ARE THE RULES billed magpie, shrike or butcher bird, 1—Prints for monthly contests must be black and white, 5x7 or larger, printed white pelican and shag or cormorant. on glossy paper. The Council agreed that the follow- 2—Each photograph submitted should be fully labeled as to subject, time and place. Also technical data: camera, shutter speed, hour of day, etc. ing birds deserve protection and should 3—PRINTS WILL BE RETURNED WHEN RETURN POSTAGE IS ENCLOSED. be removed from the predatory list: 4—All entries must be in the Desert Magazine office by the 20th of the contest All hawks and owls, white pelican and month. cormorant, the shrike and house finch, 5—Contests are open to both amateur and professional photographers. Desert both of which are protected by federal Magazine requires first publication rights only of prize winning pictures. law, and the pinyon jay. 6—Time and place of photograph are immaterial, except that it must be from the It was recommended that the white- desert Southwest. winged dove be removed from the 7—Judges will be selected from Desert's editorial staff, and awards will be made immediately after the close of the contest each month. California list of game birds, and that the hunting season for mourning doves Address All Entries to Photo Editor be limited to 15 days starting Septem- ber 15. Some members of the com- 'De&ent Wayajute PALM DESERT. CALIFORNIA mittee favored protection of the mourn- ing dove, and a further study is to be made of the habits of this bird.

DESERT MAGAZINE LIFE ON THE DESERT Phantom Fox of the Desert

Only rarely does a desert dweller get a long and lasting look at a kit fox. Usually what one sees is a fleeting shadow at the edge of the campfire's ring of light. But, Cap and Olga Smith were lucky for one of their neighbors had befriended a kit fox family with food. This is the story of what the Smiths saw the night their friend was called away and they played host to the fox family.

By CAP and OLGA SMITH A kit fox snaps its own photograph by tripping the flash camera wires.

IS A little desert kit fox. them play around my cabin every The night was chill and the iron- She dug her den under a silvery night and come right up to my door." wood fire felt good. The Coleman brittle bush in the bank of a lantern, hanging from a beam over- dry sandwash far out on the desert in Our own experience with kit foxes had not been as wide as Jeff's. These head, cast a cozy glow in the cabin, southern Imperial County, California, pointing up the various articles Jeff and chances are no human being would shy gray and white creatures are noc- turnal. You are most apt to see them keeps handy on his walls: clothing, ever have known about her had she guns, old calendars marked with when the moonlit sand gleams white and her pups not been starving. crosses, newspaper clippings, assay as snow, when cacti and brush wear Ninny's home range was pretty reports, a razor strop and a mirror; halos, when the wind is so still you shelves well crowded with cooking thoroughly depopulated of small wild notice every shadow that moves. We creatures by the Army's rodent exter- utensils and groceries, shaving articles, had caught glimpses of them, pale- tools and mineral specimens. mination program during the war. furred and white-vested, in the dark Kangaroo rats and pocket mice, fa- beyond our campfires where they All evening we sat around the un- vorite items on a kit fox's menu, are waited for us to settle down for the painted board table in the center of still scarce out there. That is why night so they could sneak in and for- the one room studying and admiring Ninny travels up the wash and across age. We had sometimes seen one Jeff's specimens, talking of mines, the black malpais every night to forage watching us over his shoulder as he miners, gold strikes and, of course, the around Jeff's place. Jeff is an old-time old days. burro prospector whose cabin is con- slipped back to his den in the early cealed among boulders in a hidden dawn, or had surprised one stalking We two kept going to the door and canyon at the foot of a bare desert prey around a clump of brush late in peering out. The sand around the mountain. the evening. But otherwise, except for cabin gleamed bare and white in the hearing their sharp yaps in the still of moonlight, but we could see no move- "I first sighted Ninny there by my night and noting their dainty tracks ment. At nine o'clock Jeff finally got wood pile in the moonlight," Jeff told in the sand, our experience with kit up to feed his foxes. Jeff is big and us one January day, when, on the way foxes was limited. rough and unless you know him, you to our own prospecting camp, we would never guess that he would con- stopped to give him his mail. "It was We were delighted when Jeff invited cern himself with the welfare of a fox. last April and she was nothing but us to stay at his place and feed Ninny Tall, raw-boned, straight, he can out- hair and bones. It's tough going out and her pups while he was away on a run us up or down any mountain trail. here, so I put out a pan of milk and business trip. Only his desert-wrinkled skin and his tossed her a flapjack. You know how "You'd better camp here the night shaggy gray hair reveal his 70-odd skittish female foxes are, but she was before I leave," he advised. "Then years. desperate. She came right up and they'll know you." lapped the milk and carried away the Our friend reached for a handful flapjack." We were there at the appointed time, of biscuit and flapjack scraps from a our camping in this instance amounting pan on a shelf by the door and tossed He had fed Ninny and her pups to little more than unrolling our blan- them out into the moonlight, a piece every night since. "She's a beauty kets in the station wagon, for we at a time. now," he bragged. "And her pups are cooked on the little iron stove in Jeff's "Come Ninny! Nice little Ninny!" almost as big as she is. The three of cabin. he called between tosses, his voice sur- MAY, 1956 prisingly gentle. "Mnn! Mnn! Mnn!" the great silence that followed even decided we had seen the last of her, This last was a kind of whimper deep more pronounced. We were about to she was back at the wood pile, quietly in Jeff's throat. "Fox talk," he ex- give up, then decided to try some beef. sitting as if she had never been away. plained. "Here Ninny! Mnn! Mnn! Mnn!" That performance-—her appearance The white sand was empty. It con- We tossed out a meat scrap and at the wood pile, snatching the meat, tinued to be empty, despite Jeff's re- waited. "Nice little Ninny!" we whee- fading out and then returning was re- peated attempts to coax his star board- dled. peated every time we threw a piece of ers out of the shadows. "They'll be Suddenly she appeared! Right by meat and waited. Her movements here tomorrow night," our host finally the wood pile where Jeff had said she were so swift our eyes could not follow promised. And with that we had to be would be, only a few feet from the her. content. door. We could see her plainly, a tiny Now we noticed two other foxes, The next night we waited alone for creature no larger than a house cat, one speeding out from a boulder, an- Ninny and her pups, using Jeff's stra- the furry linings of her ears gleaming other from a clump of white desert tegy—flattery, food scraps and what white, her sharp little nose pointed our holly. They ran close to the ground, we hoped were fox-like whimpers. way. She was sitting as motionless as scampering from cover to cover, Again nothing happened. Once we the ax that leaned against the wood snatching food, scampering back to heard a far-off yap of a fox and an pile. cover. The wind blew a paper sack answer across the canyon. We could We tossed another meat scrap. across the sand and again the stage see the ground in front of the cabin "Come Ninny!" was empty. clearly, every pebble was visible. But Ninny darted forward, snatched the Calling softly, scattering scraps reck- there was still no movement. The meat, wheeled, and disappeared. Strain lessly, we waited. Ninny, back at the moon rode high, a breeze at intervals our eyes as best we could, we were wood pile, slipped forward, snatched flapped the canvas shade over the door unable to see her. We threw more a piece of something, disappeared. stoop. A plane roared over, making meat and called. About the time we Soon she was back, snapping up food, vanishing. Once she turned her back squarely on us, sat down and looked out across the canyon, listening, ears perked, nose pointed, alert — exactly as a house cat watching the night from Only Southern Athont Expects a doorstep. Her companions had van- ished, but soon they were all on the move again, now here, now gone, Mass Display of Spring Flowers shadows etched in white. We could see the cylindrical shape of Ninny's Colorful wildflower displays in the new plants are sprouting and Binne- fluffy black-tipped tail as she came Desert Southwest are predicted only wies doubts if there will be any flowers, close. We talked to her to hold her for Southern Arizona—elsewhere, the except, possibly, at higher elevations. there, flattering her, whimpering as Jeff had instructed us to do. "Ah, the lack of winter rain has ruled out mass Very few wildflowers will be seen exhibits. nice little Ninny! The accommodating in the Borrego State Park of California, little Ninny!" She halted, lifted a fore- From Coolidge, Arizona, Casa believes Supervisor William J. Rein- Grande National Monument Superin- paw, then came closer. "Nice little hardt. "The ocotillo is in bloom as are Ninny!" tendent A. T. Bicknell writes that the barrel cactus and desert aster in Coy- soil is fairly moist which should bring ote Canyon. Desert lavender, some The last scrap was thrown, the fire about "an excellent showing of flow- verbena, chuperosa and brittle bush had died. We crossed the dooryard to ers." are blooming along the Palm Canyon the station wagon, foxes running all Warm weather has brought along Nature Trail and the Seventeen Palms around us. Unable to sleep because of the wildflower shoots in the Saguaro area has some desert aster also," Rein- the brilliant moonlight, we watched National Monument near Tucson, Ari- hardt wrote. fascinated while the little wraiths, zona, reports Superintendent John G. sometimes only a few feet away, con- Lewis. The ocotillo is beginning to Lucile Weight of Twentynine Palms, fidently frolicked and foraged. To flower and the hedgehog cactus was California, reports that wildflower them our station wagon was already expected to be in bloom by the first blooming on the high desert will be safe cover. week of April. The saguaro cactus sporadic. She advises that motorists Ninny's family was evidently a con- will reach its peak of bloom in the look for miniature flower gardens genial one. There was no snarling or third week of May and there will be around highway bridges and little clay- wrestling over the scraps they carried a fine display of prickly pear, cholla lined depressions along desert high- away. Silent as ghosts, their gait swift, and other cacti during the first two ways where rain runoff has settled. their tails undulating gracefully behind weeks of May, said Lewis. Bruce Black, park naturalist for the them, they seemed to float across the Joshua Tree National Monument, tells All other reports are unfavorable. sand, each making his entrance on the the same story for that area, but adds moonlight-flooded stage from his own O. L. Wallis, Park Naturalist at the that the serious photographer interested Lake Mead National Recreation Area, chosen wing, each departing that way, in closeup pictures of flowers will have none in any way interfering with the Nevada, says the lack of additional plenty of material to work with. moisture has caused wildflower condi- other. tions to worsen. However, he adds Jane Pinheiro of Quartz Hill, Cali- For a long time we watched, strain- that many of the beavertail cactus are fornia, says few flowers are expected ing our eyes to catch that flow of mo- beginning to bud. this year on the Mojave desert. The tion. Then the moon sailed behind Fred W. Binnewies, superintendent Joshua trees are blooming, however. the mountain and we went to sleep. of Death Valley National Monument, Verbenas have appeared in some of Next day Jeff was back and there wrote: "I don't think it will be worth- the drains along highways in Califor- was nothing to prove that we had wit- while to make a trip to Death Valley nia's Coachella Valley, but late spring nessed the moonlight pantomime but to see the wildflowers this spring." No mass displays are not forecast. delicate footprints in the sand.

in DESERT MAGAZINE Miner's burros in the streets of Lida, 1905. Photo by Douglas O. Robinson. Pilgrimage Into the Past...

As her guide into the mile-high Nevada border country. Author But Douglas Robinson was chief Nell Murbarger had an expert—Douglas O. Robinson of Bishop. Cali- probation officer of Inyo County, Cali- fornia. His personal recollections of life in the rugged mining camps of fornia and his office was at Bishop, 100 Lida and Palmetto go back 70 years, and his collection of historical miles west of Goldpoint. His busy data on these two famous ghost towns begins with the first discoveries schedule did not allow much free time of precious metals which lead to their foundings. for prowling Nevada ghost towns. Con- sequently, we exchanged letters but By NELL MURBARGER never found a meeting time mutually Map by Norton Allen satisfactory until the spring of 1955, when we made plans to meet at the Wiley home on May 20. THE FIRST flush of sum- ment, he sprang to his feet and grasped Although white man's acquaintance mer's heat lying softly on my outstretched hand in both his own. with Lida (or Alida) Valley goes back Southern Nevada's mile-high "And you're Nell Murbarger!" to the early 1860s, the first published desert country, the old mining camp Although we had not met previously, mention of the valley apparently was of Goldpoint seemed even more drowsy Douglas Robinson and I were not ex- in the Wheeler Survey Report of 1871, than usual. Not one living creature actly strangers. We had exchanged Exploration in Nevada and Arizona. was anywhere in view, and the only letters for five years after I first learned "Alida Valley is from one to two audible sound was that of my car of him through our mutual friend, the miles broad, by about six miles in wheels crunching the gravel of the de- late Harry Wiley. I had mentioned to length," that 85-year-old government serted street. Harry that I would like to write a story report stated. "At the extreme eastern Coasting to a halt beside the Wiley on the ghost towns of Lida and Palm- part is located the spring, from which home, I saw that its front door was etto, but that I did not know anyone issues a fine stream of water. At the standing open, and in the room be- who could give me authentic informa- summit we just crossed we found a yond, an elderly man was nodding tion on their early history. large vein of malachite and black oxide comfortably in an easy chair. "Doug Robinson!" Harry had re- of copper croppings. The ravines on both sides of the mountain are covered I liked him the moment I saw him. plied without a moment's hesitation. He was friendly looking, with pleasant with cedars and pines in abundance, "Doug can tell you all about those and on the northern side of the moun- features, and white hair; and when he towns! He was born at Gold Moun- glanced up the eyes that met mine tain we saw two springs of good water. tain — right over the ridge -— and his Alida Valley is covered with good were clear and bright and brimming personal recollections of Lida and with good humor. grass, and the water course is fringed Palmetto go back nearly 70 years. Be- with a dense undergrowth of willows. Remembering Stanley's classic greet- sides, he has made a lifetime hobby ing of Dr. Livingstone, I grinned. Here a man named Scott was working of searching old newspaper files and a claim that he had discovered. . . . "Mr. Robinson, I presume?" records for still earlier references of The ore was stromeyerite, with mala- With a brisk nod of acknowledge- that area." chite, cuprite and a little hematite . . ."

MAY, 1956 II On March 1, 1872, the town of year, news columns told of Lida ore potatoes, in the fall of 1872, sold at Lida City was founded. assaying $1303 per ton! Lida for $13.50 per hundredweight, "Mother remembered the camp's Meanwhile, Hiskey and Walker and cabbage and other green vege- founding very well," Robinson told were buying Lida mines. For the Cin- tables at 25 cents a pound. me. "At that time—1871-72 — she derella, first major discovery in the But the news occurring most fre- was living with her parents who tended district, they paid an asserted $16,000 quently in those notes is that con- the old stage station at San Antone to Wm. T. Bill Scott and his partner, cerned with stabbings, shootings and near the south end of the Toiyabe a man named Black. W. J. Brown sold assorted violences. Mountains. This was on the Austin to them the Brown's Hope for $3000; "Almost from the day of her birth, Cerro Gordo freight road and since $13,000 was paid to Halsey and Ayres Lida City was known as a 'bad little the new town of Lida City would be for the Lida Belle. Having thus ac- camp'," Robinson recalled. "For the on that same road, its birth was an quired the principal producers of the first several years of the town's life, important event." region, the Deep Springs milling con- the nearest full-time peace officer was A small mill, water-powered by Wy- cern built a new steam-powered mill at the county seat Aurora, more than man creek, was built at Deep Springs at Lida and the remote little mining 100 miles away as the crow flies. This by Hiskey and Walker, and ore ship- camp began to boom in earnest. lawless condition prevailed for many ments out of Lida Valley were brought years, and the change of county seat Scanning sheaves of typewritten from Aurora to Hawthorne in 1883 here by pack animals at a cost of $35 notes Robinson has gleaned from old per ton. Soon reduction charges and didn't change matters. As late as the newspapers, I learned that, in addition middle 1880s, we never had a full-time other tariffs boosted the expense of to the weekly stage between Lida Val- freighting and milling to $80 a ton, deputy sheriff nearer than Silver Peak, ley and Independence, a second mail 20 miles away. By the time he was and only very rich ore could be mined route, opened in March, 1873, ran profitably. summoned to Lida the culprit would from Lida, via Palmetto and Fish Lake, have finished his job and skipped." Even though its major values lay in to Columbus; and in May of that year, silver, Lida's ore was rich enough to Cluggage and company began operat- Throughout the remainder of that meet that cost challenge. ing a weekly stage from Austin, by afternoon, Robinson told of the early Belmont and Independence news- way of Columbus, to Lida and Gold days in Esmeralda County and together papers, in May, 1872, reported that Mountain—190 rough miles, for which we formulated plans for our next day's the mill had been working ore from travelers paid a one-way fare of $30. pilgrimage into the past. six Lida mines, "the lowest grade yield- Lida also was served by freight outfits From Goldpoint, a dusty desert road ing not less than $400 per ton." Four using heavy wagons and trailers drawn dips northwest into the wide, dry sau- tons of Lida Belle ore assayed $724.16 by 16, 18 and 20 animals each. With cer of Lida Valley. After traveling to the ton, "and netted the owners Wadsworth, the nearest rail connec- nearly 10 miles on a straight-as-a-die $1938.10, after deducting $80 per ton tion, 187 miles distant, freight rates course, bordered thinly with stunted for packing and reduction, and 20 per- were costly and food and other sup- Joshua trees and cacti, we intersected cent loss;" and in October, that same plies correspondingly high—flour and State Route 3 and turned west into a

MTNe* ^"*"- •:*•'*

12 DESERT MAGAZINE Palmetto ore mill site today. Three mills have occupied this location. Photograph by the author.

sawed into smaller sizes and passed Vidovich still ran the store, and John from hand to hand, taking the place Gomaz was postmaster. of cash. Poker games were run with no cash on the table—only bullion. "The first time I ran into Gomaz after In the end most of the silver passed my absence of seven and a half years, into the hands of local merchants who he greeted me dourly and remarked sent it to the mint for coining. that he had a lot of mail for me. There were two gunnysacks full of it, bearing "This," he added, "was before my postmarks through all the years from day. My own recollections of Lida 1897 to 1905. There was some first don't go back beyond 1885. Len Mar- class mail—one letter enclosed a check tin owned the Florida mine at that whose maker had died several years time. 'Blue Dick' Hartman had the before—but mostly it was old weekly Blue Dick; Pete Kiser, the Wisconsin; newspapers, mail order catalogs, cir- Douglas O. Robinson was bom a and Bob Stewart was working the few miles from the once active min- culars and political advertising. Also Brown's Hope and Death Valley mines. included were several packages of snide ing camps of Lida and Palmetto. The old Hiskey and Walker mill was Photograph by the author. jewelry sent on consignment, and nu- in ruins, but what we called 'the Little merous follow-up letters demanding Mill' was running from time to time that the jewelry be paid for or re- shallow canyon fed by a trickle of with Fred Vollmer as millman. The turned; and still later follow-ups threat- water and shaded by willows and cot- boom was past and only 50 persons ening court action and other dire de- tonwoods. Three miles along this road remained in camp, but they still sup- velopments. Postmaster Gomaz said brought us to Lida. ported a store, saloon, feed yard, res- my mail had been worrying him and Time is a great mellower of mining taurant and rooming house; and the he wanted me to hurry up and get it camps, and Lida, on this pleasant May mail came in from Candelaria by way out of his way. of Columbus and Silver Peak. morning, did not look like a place that "A few days before my return, a could ever have been wild or wicked. "By 1894, the only business con- young man by the name of George Edging the village's single street were cern that remained was a combination Logan had been murdered. As there several wooden buildings, none of store, postoffice, saloon and feedyard, had been no officer present to take which was picturesque, photogenic or owned by Antone Bacoch. After Tony over the case, nothing was being done even old appearing. was murdered in Tule Canyon in 1895, about the killing. It was just like old After the town's initial boom of his store was taken over by Jerome times." 1872-74, the principal mining and Vidovich. The mail now came in from Candelaria by way of Fish Lake and Before the end of that year of 1905, milling property of the region as well Lida's second boom had started. as the 40-acre Lida townsite was pur- Palmetto. chased by General A. L. Page. Prop- "It began to look as if the old camp "It made me feel wonderfully good erty rights were disputed, however, and was on her last legs. Mining was in a to see the poor old camp with her with the main properties tied up in bad way. The Cleveland panic was head up again, and raring to go! In litigation, the Lida Valley mill was on, and silver prices were up and a few months she had a population of leased to local miners who processed down—mostly down. By the fall of 550 persons, and a business center their own ore. 1897, I decided I'd had enough of that included seven stores, a dozen Esmeralda County, and left. saloons, nine restaurants, a bank, five "Money was tight in Lida during feed yards, two assay offices, a news- this period," recalled Robinson. "There "Next time I saw Lida City was in paper — The Lida Enterprise — two was no cash with which to pay over- the Spring of 1905. There were a brokerage offices, several lodging head expenses, or even to make divi- number of new people in town—as a houses, a newsstand, two blacksmith sion of values secured from ore run matter of fact, the town was tottering shops and freighting services. Passen- through the mill. To meet this diffi- on the verge of a second boom—but ger stage lines were making daily trips culty, the silver recovered from mill- only three of the old timers remained, between Lida and Goldfield—about ing operations was run into bars of Bill Scott, who made the original dis- 30 miles—at a fare of $5 each way, various sizes. These bars later were coveries in the mid-1860s; Jerome and daily mail was coming in from MAY, 1956 13 Goldfield. Old Bill Scott was the hap- Lida's environs, but aside from cattle Medicine Rock'," Robinson explained. piest he had been in years—he had raising and a little talc mining there "I remember well, when I was a boy, lived long enough to see his camp is no way to make a living here. how all the Indians for miles around came here to hold council, decide im- come back!" Somewhere up the canyon we could portant issues and 'make medicine'." But Lida's second boom was short- hear a cowbell tinkling lazily, and a lived. By 1906 she was already slip- young rooster was making an inexpert As late as 50 years ago desert tribes- ping back. Miners moved away and attempt to crow. But none of Lida's men still were making regular pilgrim- no new blood came to replace them. several chimneys held friendly plumes ages to this strange landmark in the The bank failed and took with it $84,- of smoke and since our arrival in the Esmeralda County hills. 000 of depositors' money. The Lida old village, nearly an hour before, we Returning to Lida, we again headed Enterprise moved to Palmetto, then had not seen even one human being. west on Route 3, traveling through a returning to prominence. On top of Before continuing to the next ghost region of low, rounded desert hills, these reverses came the financial panic town of Palmetto, Robinson suggested thinly forested with small pinyon pines of 1907. With banks failing all over we visit a landmark a few miles south and scrub junipers and showing many the country and mining stocks drop- of Lida. evidences of mining activities—small ping, the outside money Lida needed Taking the Sand Springs road out prospect holes, old mine dumps and for her survival was cut off, and the of town, we climbed to a low summit, the crumbling ruins of old cabins and little mining camp died. and soon after starting down the other fences. Winding casually among the "And that," laughed Robinson, "is side came to a lone boulder as large trees, our road climbed to the 7409- about all of Lida's past that should be as a cabin, composed of black and red foot saddle between Magruder and told. Even a ghost town is entitled to volcanic cinders fused into a solid Palmetto mountains, rising to respec- tive heights of 9057 and 8885 feet. a few secrets!" mass. The summits of these desert peaks Two or three families still live in "This is what old timers called 'The were bare of snow but the higher White Mountains, looming conspicuously 25 Indian "Medicine Rock" two miles south of Lida. Photo by the author. miles to the west, were blanketed in white. As it was nearly noon, my escort suggested we drive off the road a short distance to Pigeon Springs and eat our lunch. At one time, he said, this place boasted a mill and smelter, a store, saloon, eating house and sundry other evidences of urban life. But the only building we saw was an old house, evidently vacant for many years. Large cottonwoods, only now coming into leaf, had been planted along the front of the house; and at the far edge of the yard, the water of Pigeon Springs gushed from a two-inch pipe in a crystal-clear stream almost too cold to drink. Watercress was growing luxuri- antly in the run-off from the spring, and the flat that spread away on both sides was spongy and green, in marked contrast to the dry hills surrounding it. At the head of Palmetto Wash, seven miles east of the California line, we drew to a halt in the old mining camp of Palmetto—an absolute ghost town without one remaining citizen to relate its saga of glory and defeat. Running my eye over the parched hills surrounding the town, and over i the dry-as-dust townsite, I shook my head. :^%if? "What puzzles me," I said, "is how this place ever acquired the name of a palm tree!" mi i II Robinson laughed. The first ex- plorers through this country were from pp the Southeastern United States, he ex- plained. In the scrubby little Joshua trees that speckled these hills they saw a superficial resemblance to the palm- etto palms of their homeland. Not knowing the true identity of the plants, they called them 'palmetto cactuses'. Later, the forepart of that name was DESERT MAGAZINE applied to the mountain, the mining district and the town. "Incidentally," Robinson continued, "Palmetto is about the oldest town in this area. It was founded nearly six years before Lida and long before Gold Mountain." Palmetto mining district was organ- ized in 1866, following the discovery of silver-bearing ore. Within a year a 12-stamp mill was erected at a cost of $90,000—the machinery for it shipped around Cape Horn to San Francisco, up the Sacramento River by paddle- wheel steamer, and over the Sierra Nevada to Palmetto by heavy freight teams. Although the ores proved too refractory to pay well, the mill pro- duced some $200,000 in bullion prior to 1871. At the time of Palmetto's founding settlers in Southern Nevada still were being harrassed by Indians, and citi- zens of the new mining camp petitioned for and were granted the protection of a military outpost consisting of six soldiers under command of a sergeant. This small garrison kept the peace in the town and its environs until March, 1872, when the post was decommis- sioned and its men transferred to Wau- coba, in Inyo County. During its several periods of activity, the Palmetto mine produced more than $6,500,000 in bullion, but little tan- gible evidence remains of the town it ii SAYING supported. On a hillside overlooking the town site stands a tall, square brick i. itm chimney, crumbling at the top and cracked down one side. Spread over the hillside, below the chimney, is a maze of stone foundations and retain- ing walls which have supported, at various times, three separate mills. Be- tween the old mill ruins and the road is a small flat, densely overgrown by rabbit brush and shad scale, and in this flat stand the roofless walls of two stone ruins which formerly functioned respectively as Palmetto's postoffice and stage station. After the Palmetto of the early days dwindled away, the camp had a re- vival in 1906. Numerous places of business were established, including a newspaper, The Herald. A new town, Above—Death Valley Scotty, photographed in Lida in 1905 by Douglas New Palmetto, sprang up a couple of Robinson. Scotty was then about 35 years of age. miles down the canyon. Below—Lida in 1905. Photo by Douglas O. Robinson. "New Palmetto was never more than a rag-town," laughed Robinson. "As shoes and tin cans that crumpled at west, a definite chill crept into the des- a matter of fact, I never saw such a our touch. big boom from so little powder!" ert air and the junipers and dwarf Our plans of the previous evening Joshua trees were beginning to cast Searching over the sunny flat where included a visit to the old ghost town long shadows across the hills. ruins of the old rock stage station and of Sylvania, on the California-Nevada Completely satisfied with our pil- post-office protruded from the desert state line about five miles from Palm- grimage into the past, we turned back brush like broken fangs, we found the etto. Bat planning and doing are two toward Lida and Goldpoint, and the usual reminders of a civilization that different matters and now we realized hot supper we knew would be waiting. has been and gone—old square nails, that time had been slipping through Sylvania would be good for another and bits of purple glass, rusty mule our fingers! The sun was low in the adventure, on another day. MAY, 1956 Perhaps the Thorny Plants Are Useful

In a 300-acre garden near Phoenix, Arizona, W. Taylor Marshall is seeking the answer to a question which has puzzled the scientific world for many generations—how may some of the thorny plants of the desert be grown to serve a useful role for mankind? He has not found the answer yet—but while he and his staff work in the test gardens they are also providing a fas- cinating display of desert botany for the thou- sands of visitors to the Desert Botanical Gardens.

W. Taylor Marshall, president emeritus of the Cactus and dale who is still operating at Desert Succulent Society, and director of the Desert Botanical Center in the Chuckawalla Valley. He Gardens at Phoenix, Arizona. called at the general store at old Blythe Junction which in 1914 had been re- By ROBERT FRANKLIN AMES named Rice in honor of the engineer Photographs by the author who built the railroad to Blythe. His route included remote mining camps as far north as Nevada. N HIS 30th birthday, W. Taylor May 5, 1886, in Philadelphia, his The desert territory which had been Marshall received from his father was a cigar manufacturer, and a nightmare to previous salesmen be- daughter as a gift, a pot of thorny determined that his son eventually gan turning in more business than plants. And that was the beginning should carry on the business he had many of the populated areas, and the of a career which led eventually to his founded. company took Marshall off of his com- recognition as one of America's great- After training in the cigar business est authorities on cactus. mission basis and put him on straight young Marshall came West to work salary. Today Marshall is director of the in the firm's California branch. He Desert Botanical Gardens at Phoenix, arrived in 1905 wearing cowboy clothes Then came that 30th birthday when Arizona. Because of his many years and a six-gun, having been told this his daughter thought that cactus plants of research into the propagation and was the accepted costume west of the would be a proper birthday gift for a nature of the shrubs of the desert, the Rocky Mountains. father who spent most of his time in Gardens under his direction are a the desert. Marshall planted them in His father had other ideas, however, his garden and began seeking informa- mecca for scientists from all over the as to how a cigar salesman should be world. They are also an attraction to tion as to their growth and care. He attired. In deference to his father's could find very little information on many thousands of tourists who have wishes, he began calling on the trade heard of the gardens of strange plants the propagation of cactus—in English. a few days later togged in a Prince Most of the cactus experts at that time which thrive in this land of rocks and Albert coat, stovepipe silk hat, dress sand. were in Europe, and the textbooks on shoes and a white shirt. cactus were written in German, and In Arizona, if you start asking ques- Marshall was in the tobacco business the scientific names were all in Latin. tions about cactuses, sooner or later for nearly two decades, but he now But cacti had a strange fascination you will be told to go see W. Taylor confesses he never cared for his job. for this grocery salesman, and he re- Marshall. "He knows everything about Finally he broke away and became a fused to be turned aside by the barrier the thorny shrubs of the desert." salesman for a wholesale candy con- of language. Although he had only an At 70 years of age he is still a stu- cern, and later added groceries to his eighth grade education, he began to dent, as anyone will quickly learn when line. study German and Latin. On his sales talking with him. His gardens con- Eventually he was transferred to trips to the desert he carried botany tinue to expand, and his experiments desert territory—a route that none of texts along with his samples and order now extend to desert shrubs which he the other salesmen wanted. It was blanks. In the arid region where many believes will become important com- rough going in those days, but he was species of cacti were found in their na- mercial factors in the economy of the not a quitter, and he began to learn tive habitat he gradually schooled him- Southwest. that the desert country had a charm self to identify the species by their Taylor Marshall's start in life was of its own. He wrote orders for Dick German and Latin descriptions. He about as far removed from the field Wick Hall in Salome, Arizona, Death found himself making detours to find of science as one could imagine. Born Valley Scotty, and Desert Steve Rags- the locale of new species. '.> DESERT MAGAZINE As his interest deepened he joined the Cactus and Succulent Society of America. At that time the members were interested mostly in building up their collections. His research went tilt beyond that. He observed the nature ill of the plants under different conditions, their mode of life, and the evolutionary pattern of their development. He also began contributing to the National Horticultural Magazine and served for a time as assistant editor in the field. In 1938 he was elected president of the Cactus and Succulent Society and during his four-year term of office the program of the Society underwent a marked change. Instead of merely col- lecting new species, the organization began to devote more time to serious study and research. In 1940 Marshall gave up his sales- man's job and went into business in Highland Park, California. By 1946 it was a thriving enterprise, and at 60 he was ready to retire and devote his time entirely to his hobby. In the meantime he had written five textbooks fggl to make sure that future botanists would be able to study their cactus in the English language. These books are Marshall stands between two variations of the Senita or Old Man Cactus. still in wide use in the colleges. He points to the conventional form found in Southern Arizona, Sonora and Baja California. Behind him is a Totem Pole Cactus, a deformed strain The Cactus and Succulent Society, found only in limited ranges of Baja California. of which he was now president emeri- tus, had become co-sponsor of Ari- zona's Desert Botanical Gardens. Fi- It was a tremendous challenge. Only he could grow and study and make nanced under a grant from the estate three acres of the available 300 had further contribution to man's scientific of Mrs. Gertrude D. Webster and by been planted, and the project had only knowledge of the plants of the arid public support, the Gardens were in a modest administration building. Here world. need of re-organization, and Marshall he would be able to build something There was another factor which in- was invited to become its director. very close to his heart—a place where trigued him. During World War II, bombing and military operation had done great damage to the German Agave is a potentially important source of alcohol. botanical gardens at Dahlam and Frankfurt, and to the Dew gardens in London, where for nearly 300 years much of the plant research had been centered. At Phoenix there was an opportun- ity to develop an American botanical garden which would take up the re- search work where the overseas gar- dens had been forced to leave off. Marshall accepted the challenge. During the past summer I met the director at his headquarters. When I phoned for an appointment he said: "Come on over to the Gardens. We are closed for the summer, but I will be glad to talk with you." There I met a balding man with abundant energy, and his enthusiasm for the task he is doing was at once apparent. He told me that the Gardens had been founded in 1939 by the Ari- zona Cactus and Native Flora Society. The state had donated 300 rocky acres in Papago Park. Before and during the war little work had been done, and for a time the Gardens had been closed. But a new era began with the arrival

MAY, 1956 17 development of a food plant which can be raised commercially on the des- ert without irrigation. In North Africa and South America the tuna—the fruit of the prickly pear cactus—is sold on the market along with apples and pears and citrus vari- eties. Marshall believes that a cactus fruit may be developed which will be- come popular on the food markets of United States. But such projects as this take time and infinite patience since there are many factors to be considered. Mar- shall's philosophy is summed up in this sentence: "Nature has been grow- ing these desert plants for centuries— why should we hesitate to spend a few decades finding a way to make them a source of food and profit for our people?"

W. H. Earle, chief horticulturist at DBG examines a 180-year-old giant saguaro. ..:,, Marshall is examining an imported specimen of candelilla, source of a fine grade of wax. His goal is to find a way to grow this shrub commercially in United States. of Marshall as director. The scope of products for the drug and chemical the Desert Gardens now extends to all trade in the United States, and has shrubs of desert habitat. been experimenting with both native He showed me the voluminous rec- and imported plants. Reaction to ords where each new plant is classified water, sun, and frost is carefully noted. with data as to its habitat, soil analysis, When a suitable agave is found he altitude, etc. I saw the herbarium he plans to plant 50 acres of it so that had established where plants are the laboratories may have an ample marked and identified for visitors. supply for their experimental research Under his direction, living quarters purposes. and other buildings have been erected; Marshall and his staff are experi- walks and parking lots laid out, and menting with another plant which may rest rooms provided for visitors. One be even more profitable than agave. large room in the administration build- This is candelilla, which grows wild in ing is filled with interesting displays the Big Bend country of Texas and with printed data describing the desert in northern Mexico. The plant pro- flora available to the public. duces a wax which is much in demand More than 150,000 visitors annually in the manufacture of chewing gum, tour the gardens. Admission is free and high grade waxes. and every possible facility is provided At present most of the supply comes for their guidance and information. through bootleg channels from the Cameras are allowed if permits are harvesting of wild candelilla. Experi- obtained, but tripods are forbidden ments at the Desert Botanical Gardens because of the danger of damage to are nearing completion, and Marshall tiny plants. expects soon to have considerable acre- More than 10,000 species of plants age planted to this shrub. grow on the 52 acres now in gardens. Many factors enter into such com- The remaining 248 acres are being mercial experiments —• the number of reserved for some special projects the acres required to support a desert fam- director has in mind. ily, the proper spacing of the plants For years he has felt that the desert when grown under cultivation, the ef- must contain many shrubs which would fects of rainfall and frost and forced become important commercially if growth — and the cost of harvesting grown under cultivation as the agave and processing it. is in Mexico. He believes this plant In addition to agave and candelilla, may become the source of valuable another project is in progress — the

DESERT MAGAZINE ON DESERT TRAILS WITH A NATURALIST • XXV The Beetle worth Its Weight in Gold

W. G. Wright knew he had made a valuable discovery when he first saw the strange insect emerging from the native palm Rory O'Rourke examines a hole-ridden palm log found in a wash northeast trunk. For 11 years he kept that of Indio, California. secret to himself and for those 11 years he had a world-wide monop- number of aspiring young naturalists. oly on their sale to museums and refusing to divulge the "type locality," universities. Here is the strange Wright usually went alone on his as it is called by entomologists. Many story of the eccentric scientist and often lengthy desert journeys, camping of his friends, either anxious to collect the even stranger story of the fan- out for weeks at a time in places then the beetle for their own collections or tastic beetle which was once worth practically unknown to the average for possible sale, tried to follow him, its weight in gold. traveler. His neighbors were curious but he was as clever as the wariest of about his strange comings and goings, gold prospectors who has hit it rich. but learned little from him either about They watched secretly for days to see By EDMUND C. JAEGER, D.Sc. his destinations or discoveries. To their him start out in the late summer on Curator of plants questions of where he had been, they his usual "Mojave journey," and then, Riverside Municipal Museum generally got the laconic reply: "Oh, by following closely behind, hoped to Sketch by Lloyd Mason Smith out on the Mojave." solve the great mystery once and for It was after one of his long drawn- all. However, as soon as Wright got out "Mojave journeys" that he re- well on his way he would make camp turned with some very valuable beetles, in some desolate spot and simply stay HERE LIVED in San Bernardino there until he was sure his pursuers during the late 19th and early so unbelievably rare and unusual in 7 appearance that he offered them to had gotten tired of waiting and had 20th century a most unusual returned home. and mysterious gentleman, considered leading museums for sale and, it is by his neighbors as an eccentric be- said, got nearly a thousand dollars a For those 11 years the home of this cause he spent most of his time collect- pair for them! At least three such strange, fairly large beetle with a dark ing and studying butterflies. With sales were made before the price came brown elongated and cylindrical body horse and buggy and on foot he trav- down: to the British Museum, to the and a large, rounded head, remained eled the roads and trails of both the Russian museum at St. Petersburg, and, known only to Wright. It was classi- mountains and the deserts, always I believe, to a museum in Paris. fied with the scientific name of Dirta- bringing back in neat collecting boxes For 11 years Wright kept the secret pate wrightii, in honor of its discoverer, numerous specimens of butterflies and of where he had found his specimens, by a fellow entomologist, G. H. Horn. other insects, specimens that often proved new to science. This man was W. G. Wright, who in his later years wrote the standard reference book, "West Coast Butter- flies." Few copies of this monumental work are in existence because most of the plates and printed pages were de- stroyed in the San Francisco fire of 1906, before many copies had been offered for sale. I am the possessor of one of these rare volumes. It was given to me by Samuel B. Parish, dean of Southern California botanists, who as executor of Wright's estate upon his death, dis- tributed the few remaining copies to a

MAY, 1956 19 It was quite by accident that some- H. G. Hubbard, one of the early offense to cut or destroy this beautiful one other than Wright chanced upon collectors of Dinapate, regarded the native tree. Be content to know what one of these "thousand dollar insects." finding of a young brood of larvae to has caused the openings, and, if you An engineer, or a surveyor, I forget be one of the most interesting events are lucky, you might even be able to which, happened to be walking down of his entomological life. "It is hard hear the larvae clicking away inside. Palm Canyon above Palm Springs, to realize the enormous extent and Always enjoy, never destroy. California, one hot September after- dimensions of the Dinapate galleries," noon and came upon, by merest he wrote. "If one finds 20 or 30 holes chance, a single wing cover of this in one of the Washingtonia palms, the rare insect at the foot of one of the interior probably is entirely eaten out Washingtonia palms. Since this man from end to end, and one can follow was also well-informed in the field of the frass-filled galleries, over one inch entomology, he immediately recognized in diameter, for 20 feet up and down the great scientific import of his dis- the trunk following the grain and with- covery. The secret was out! The mys- out diminishing sensibly in size. Then Elizabeth Rigby, author of this terious beetle Dinapate wrightii (Dina- think of the yards and yards of smaller month's "The Elusive Hop Hornbeam," pate was coined from two Greek words galleries made by the larvae while still is an outstanding example of what can meaning "clever deception," probably young. Such extensive and prodigious happen to an Easterner who falls vic- in reference to Wright's wily tactics) borings cannot be made in one or two tim to the desert's charm. Born in lived in the trunk of the desert fan years, and certainly not in any trunk Maryland, a Smith College graduate, palm. Since that time this curious of moderate size for it would not yield and a resident of New York City for hard-to-find beetle has been taken by enough food." many years before coming to Arizona, a number of diligent entomologists and she writes: the price on the open market quickly The larval tunnels cross and recross each other in an erratic pattern prac- "If anyone then had told me that fell, so that today a pair brings only I'd enjoy hiking up rocky canyons, tically destroying all the fibre in the a few dollars. The secret of the Cali- studying birds through binoculars, or fornia palm-borer, as this beetle is region attacked. The feeding grubs counting the number of spines in the popularly known, was worth as much may be heard making a sharp click- areole of a cactus in order to identify as a vein of gold to Wright. click sound with their powerful mandi- the plant, I'd have thought that person bles. The sound they make can be im- a bit daft. The fact remains that I do What threw most of his followers itated by clicking the nails of your first enjoy these things, and that much as I completely off the track was the round- finger and thumb together. once loved the big city, I'd find it hard about route he took to Palm Canyon, After a dormant period when the to go back." always going out through Cajon Pass Mr. and Mrs. Rigby live in Sedona. to the Mojave Desert and then circling grub is being transformed into a pupa around the San Bernardino Mountains and then into the form of an adult and through Morongo Pass down to beetle, the adults emerge one at a time, the Colorado Desert and Palm Canyon. after dark. Fortunately for the palms, Robert Franklin Ames, who tells Wright seldom paused in the village of of the many larvae that feed within the the story of W. Taylor Marshall, "Per- Palm Springs, but went directly to the logs, only a few live to become full- haps the Thorny Plants Are Useful" canyon without saying a word to any- sized adults, as attested by the few in this month's Desert, came to Cali- one. There he hacked-open newly fal- emergent holes. fornia from Iowa during the latter part len palm trunks in quest of his curious of the war. Now a resident of Burbank, insect treasures. Often his searches Occasionally entomologists find a Ames is a printer by trade and some- were fruitless, but sometimes he found palm log on private property in which day hopes to devote his full time to the beetles ready to emerge from their he can hear the larvae at work. He writing and traveling. labyrinthic tunnels deep inside the pros- then saws the trunk into sections, takes trate logs. them to his home or laboratory, places them in a suitable cage of netting or Perhaps you have, in some of your screen, and then patiently awaits the Joe Kerley, who wrote this month's wanderings among the oases of native late summer night when some will "The Day We Ate Prairie Dogs," has palms on our Colorado Desert, no- emerge as beautiful dark brown adult spent the majority of his adult life on ticed finger-sized holes leading to the specimens. the Navajo Reservation. In 1914 he interior of brown fallen trunks, holes Most of the beetles closely related took a job at his brother's trading post too deep to be the work of woodpeck- near Leupp, Arizona, but shortly there- ers. These openings mark the sites to the California Palm Borer are very small; Dinapate is the largest of the after left for military service in the where the adult beetle borers have World War. When he returned in 1919 emerged. The females lay their eggs in group. One of the most interesting of its relatives is the long dark brown he went to work in the extreme north- the leaf buds of living palms and west corner of the reservation. In the shortly thereafter broods of larvae are Cable Borer, the adults of which fre- quently bore into telephone cables, 21 years that followed he managed busy devouring their way into the cen- various posts throughout Navajoland. ter of the elongate trunk. The galleries permitting the entrance of water and they make are tightly filled behind causing short-circuiting of the wires. "The Navajos are friendly, intelli- them with sawdust-like frass and are Next time you visit any of the sev- gent, industrious and fun-loving peo- gradually made larger by the growing eral palm-filled gorges on the Colo- ple," Kerley wrote. "They readily take larvae. In time, after several months, rado Desert, look for these curious exit to the American way of life with all its these larvae, called grubs, penetrate holes of the beetle that was once worth gadgets. Given half a chance they will to the very interior of the palm where its weight in gold. However, please hold their own in any walk of life." they complete the life cycle. Later do not cut down any palms in search He is now retired and living in Wins- after boring to the exterior they emerge of them; all palms are strictly protected low, Arizona, where he is "happy, as adults. by State law now and it is a serious healthy and enjoying the Atomic Age." 20 DESERT MAGAZINE HISTORIC DESERT WATERHOLE II Old Woman Springs... First the Indians, then the prospectors and still later the cattlemen came to depend on the gushing waters from the Old Woman Springs. It has served them all well and today continues to flow forth its life-giving stream at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains in California. By WALTER FORD

N 1855 A survey party under Henry Washington stopped at a spring at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains, 15 miles south- east of the present town of Lucerne Valley. The surveyors found a group of Indian women camped around the ; watering place destined to become an important camping spot for cattlemen and prospectors who later entered the area, and Washington promptly chris- tened it "Old Woman Springs." Henry Washington is undoubtedly The author at Old Woman Springs. the Colonel Washington who is cred- ited with establishing the San Bernar- 45 years ago, arrowheads, spearpoints of a very good quality, the improve- dino base and meridian and naming and broken pottery could be found in ment no doubt due to the development other points along the route, but the abundance around the springs. work on the springs during the inter- records in the U. S. Land Office in Albert Swartout, who owned Old vening years. Los Angeles make no reference to any Woman Springs for many years, first The ranch on which the springs are military title. The entry shows that the located on the land now occupied by located was the object of litigation a contract to survey the area was let to the Box S ranch, but relinquished the few years back, but it is now owned a Henry Washington in December, claim when he decided that the land by J. Dale Gentry of Los Angeles. The 1854, and that the job was completed was not suitable for cattle raising. Later area adjacent to the Twentynine Palms in 1855. he filed on the land surrounding Old road leading to the ranch is one of the There are contradictory opinions as Woman Springs and established a herd Mojave's popular wildflower sections, to why old Indian women were often of White Herefords. He greatly in- but like most other flowering parts of found camped around waterholes in creased the flow of water by boring a the desert, the variety and abundance the early days. One is that once their tunnel in the hill back of the original of the flowers are governed almost period of usefulness as workers had spring. wholly by the amount and timing of ended, they were banished from the In his Water Supply Paper 224, pub- the preceding winter's rainfall. regular camp and forced to eke out an lished in 1909, Walter C. Mendenhall One of my visits to Old Woman existence at some distant location. lists two springs on the Mojave Desert Springs happened to follow a particu- However, there is little evidence to under the name of Old Woman Springs, larly wet winter and I was treated to support the conclusion that any of the one at the base of the San Bernardino a dazzling display of wildflowers that Western Indian tribes were so lacking Mountains and the other near Danby in my memory was equalled only in in social responsibility, and the most Dry Lake. Apparently the two widely 1938, the year in which the amount of generally accepted theory is that the separated springs with similar names rainfall reached catastrophic propor- Indian women found around water- caused considerable confusion. In a tions in some parts of the desert. holes were merely waiting the return like water supply paper for the United The caretaker willingly showed me of their men from hunting or raiding States Geological Survey, published in around and permitted me to take pho- expeditions. 1921, David C. Thompson stated that tographs wherever I desired. While I Undoubtedly, Old Woman Springs the name of the Danby area waterhole believe that such privileges would be was at times the permanent camping had been changed to Sunflower Spring. readily extended to any other visitor, place for large groups of Indians. W. Mendenhall described the water at the those who contemplate visiting Old W. Johnson, caretaker of the ranch on original Old Woman Springs as being Woman Springs should understand that which the springs are located, told me alkaline, but Thompson's description they are on private property and make that when he first arrived in this area 12 years later states that the water was their plans accordingly.

MAY, 1956 21 The Elusive Hop Hornbeam...

The tree known as Knowlton—or Western—Hop Hornbeam is a We began to pay more attention to Southwest rarity. So elusive, in fact, is this member of the birch family the unspectacular specimen, and ques- that its recent discovery in a hitherto unreported area by Professor tions about it arose in our minds. Pro- Chester Deaver and the Sedona Garden Club made botanical headlines. fessor Deaver spied another example of the rarity and like a mountain goat By ELIZABETH RIGBY was climbing over boulders and rocks Photographs by the author to reach it. Later, at home, I located a distribu- TREE, I HAD always thought, that he had found something out of tion map for the tree, and understand- is a rather conspicuous object, the ordinary. ing dawned. On the map there were only four dotted areas—two of them and American naturalists have Examining the slender, mole-gray, had plenty of time to learn about our scaly trunk that engaged his attention, very small, the other two not much native species; so I was more than sur- I was at a loss to understand his ex- larger—-to mark the places where the prised recently when I accompanied a citement. This little tree, not much Western Hop Hornbeam is known to group of neophytes on a plant identifi- taller than a sizeable shrub, with its grow. On our field trip we had, due cation field trip through Boynton Can- toothed, ovate, birch-like leaves hang- to the lucky accident of an expert's yon in northern Yavapai County, Ari- ing sparsely from the reddish brown presence, stumbled upon what can now zona, lead by Professor Chester F. twigs, and its bole so slim that we be a fifth dot on the map. Deaver, distinguished botanist of Ari- might have clasped it between two The Western Hop Hornbeam (Os- zona State College in Flagstaff. hands — what was so extraordinary trya knowltoni Coville), related to but about it? Professor Deaver is one of the fore- distinct from the far less exclusive most authorities on the plants of this "Look, look here!" our mentor eastern species, Ostrya virginiana, to region. He also is a modest and quiet shouted. "I want you all to see this. date has been officially reported only man. When he stopped suddenly in It's a Knowlton's Hop Hornbeam!" front of a small nondescript tree near from the Grand Canyon of the Colo- the head of one of the canyon tributar- "Is it unusual to find it here?" some- rado, where a few hundred grow at al- ies and let out something very like an one asked. titudes of 6000 to 7000 feet under Indian war whoop, then started to "Here?" he cried impatiently, "It both north and south rims; a restricted dance a jig, it was not hard to guess would be something anywhere!" area in southeastern Utah; along the West Fork of Oak Creek in Arizona's Oak Creek Canyon; and from south- Professor Chester F. Deaver, discoverer of a previously unreported stand of eastern New Mexico in the Guadalupe rare Knowlton Hop Hornbeam in Boynton Canyon, Yavapai County, Ariz. and Sacramento Mountains and an ad- jacent area across the Texas border. Some authorities would even eliminate this latter habitat, maintaining that the hop hornbeams found there are inter- mediate between the eastern and west- ern forms and constitute a distinct spe- cies to which they give the name of Bailey Hop Hornbeam. Never numerous even in the places it frequents, the Western Hop Horn- beam has proved an elusive as well as an exclusive tree. The first white man to describe it was Frank Hall Knowl- ton, botanist and paleontologist of the National Museum, who spent several months in Arizona and New Mexico in 1889 as a member of the United States Geological Survey. While working at the Grand Canyon he hiked down the rough trail named for that famous teller of tall canyon tales, John Hance. He had not gone far before he came upon a tree which probably made him react much as Pro- fessor Deaver had. It was a hop horn- beam, a kind of tree which Knowlton had thought was not to be found within 2000 miles of the Grand Canyon. Yet there were the unmistakable bladdery, hoplike fruits and the characteristic birch-scale bark. There were, however,

22 DESERT MAGAZINE ••:W' V **8§

5ca/y fearA: identifies Hop Hornbeam as a member of the Growing amongst boulders and sheer rock walls, this birch family. These trees are relatively straight and tall Hop Hornbeam has twisted and turned its way up into for the species. the life-giving sunlight. certain differences apparent to his prac- is no more related to the true Desert come to the breathtaking natural shrine ticed eye. It was a new species and Ironwood (Olneya tesota), one of the where 18 Western Hop Hornbeams being a good scientist, Knowlton took Leguminosae, than it is to the true grow. along specimens of leaves, fruit, bark, hop vine. Superficial resemblances ac- There is a spring nearby and a some- and twigs in addition to the notes he count for the confusion of names in times-running stream and the canyon had made. both cases. The fruit of the hop horn- narrows to a mere slit between over- What Knowlton had found was no beam tree looks very much like the hanging rock walls. You have to tilt tall tale but had he not preserved the fruit of the vine (Humulus lupulus) your head far back to glimpse the sky evidence some people might have which is used in making beer. And its above those walls. Maidenhair fern thought so, because for a long time no wood, like that of desert ironwood, is clings to the rock beneath the over- one else could find any other like it in extraordinarily hard, heavy, and fine- hang, and tumbled boulders testify to the Grand Canyon or elsewhere. grained. Mrs. Johnson believes it is the power of the water that now and The search was diligently made, but possible that the Indians made such again falls into the canyon from above. the new species proved as hard to track frequent use of the wood in the old On a rock near the end of the canyon down as a desert mirage. The first days that the trees came near to being box are some Indian petroglyphs and scientist to confirm Knowlton's discov- exterminated. at the very end, beyond which no hu- ery was not a botanist but an astrono- It cannot happen irrevocably to this man could walk or climb, is a raised mer, Percival Lowell, who found the one, I feel, so long as the tree seeks stone altar built by Nature and deco- tree not in the Grand Canyon but a for its home spots as it has often rated with vines and ferns. few miles up the West Fork of Oak chosen, lone and lovely places far be- Worshipping at this shrine is a single Creek south of Flagstaff. Nor was it yond the highways, places such as the Western Hop Hornbeam tree. Unlike a botanist who clinched the fact that canyon head at Boynton. To reach it those of its kind that guard the ap- Knowlton's Hop Hornbeam was no you must drive off the pavement a proaches and whose pendulous limbs dodo. Ornithologist Vernon Bailey re- good many miles and then hike more twist and contort like the arms of pa- located the trees below the rim of the miles uphill between beautiful redrock gan ritual dancers, this one grows, con- Grand Canyon. walls. The Indians obviously loved trary to its nature, straight up for 15 Trees are not often so rare as that. the place, since the ruins of their pre- feet. It can grow no other way, so Why should this one be? I have not historic cliff dwellings are everywhere. straight and narrow are the walls of been able to find out definitely, but Heading into the canyon you pass rock that guide it on its search for there is a clue—or at least a surmise through several life zones, starting with light. After it overcomes the walls it —supplied by Mildred Johnson who, the semi-arid Upper Sonoran with its turns and twists its trunk as it likes to with her artist husband, Harry, owns yuccas, cacti, and manzanita, and end- do, and leans its gray shoulder on a the deeded property at the mouth of ing in the timbered Transition among flat shelf of rock, then turns again and Boynton Canyon. Another name for yellow ponderosa pines and white oak, makes a lacy pattern of yellow-green Hop Hornbeam is Ironwood, although with incursions from the Canadian on with its delicately serrated leaves Ostrya, a member of the birch family, shaded north slopes. And, at last you against the opposite wall.

MAY, 1956 23 m,'

Photograph by Lewis Wayne Walker. WHAT HILLS ARE THESE? By MILDRED BREEDLOVE SPRING TAPESTRY Las Vegas, Nevada By NELL GRIFFITH WILSON By LOUINA VAN NORMAN What hills are these that leave a heart en- Kenwood, California Riverside, California chained? Though neither grass, nor underbrush nor From his apartment doorway, high above Yesterday, the fields were dull and brown; trees the ground, Today, color has brocaded all the hills, Spread roots above the zinc and manganese? Wide-eyed and staring, he surveys the And where the land was silent as a vault, Nor hide the scars where lead and gold were desert scene; At dawn an energetic mocker trills. No rent to worry him, free light and heat veined? abound, On barren desert sands the spring has poured One might not guess how long my heart was Housed in an old saguaro, cozy and A shower of rose and violet-colored dye trained serene. In woodland ways, where wild anemones To make a carpet of verbena blooms Divided time with jays and chickadees, • • • Beneath the vivid glow of western sky. And summer left the grasses golden-skeined. QUEEN OF THE PAINT BRUSH The sudden spell of magic brought a wealth By MIRIAM R. ANDERSON Of lupine flowers to paint the mesa blue. What magic do these barren hills possess? San Bernardino, California That they deliver me to heat and sand? And yellow poppies gild the canyon walls No season comes to mountains made of She loves the shape and texture of a leaf, Where yucca spears are pointing true. stone— Wild lilac foaming frosty on a hill, And yet their ever-changing, rainbow dress Forsythia that on the mountains spill Wields power that I do not understand . . . Their blooms in golden bas-relief. For I no longer call my heart my own. • • • She loves the stormy sky, the earth, the PRIMROSE COVERED SANDS trees, By TANYA SOUTH The gentle morning winds that stir the By VIRGINIA L. BRUCE boughs, Great is Courage. Greater than the Hemet, California The rushing evening gale that through them wealth The sunset sky hangs low upon the soughs, Of all the earth. And nothing gained Primrose-covered sands— For she sees God reflected through in these. by stealth Caressing quiet desert miles with Can equal it. For Courage can efface Gentle golden hands. She loves all life as Nature molds it here, The hatreds and the wrongs that in- One golden sun-mote, and the cotton clouds terlace White petals open wide as if to That frame the desert so aloof and proud The petty, mean intrigues that are so Lift their hearts up high And edge the flaming sunset bright and clear. rife, In answer to the promise of the And make our strife Silent evening sky. She takes up cobalt blue and azure gray, Indomitable, deathless and supreme, Could we but find within our hearts those To reproduce on canvas as she may, To the attainment of our highest Primrose-covered sands Life as it seems in its entirety-— dream. That look to skies to find their quiet And paints a dream into reality. Peace of desert lands!

24 DESERT MAGAZINE PUEBLO PANORAMAS II TSAY-BEGAY By JOHN L. BLACKFORD

Round House Ruins These odd, round cliff ruins, perhaps built as storage bins, are hidden in a huge natural cavern • sculptured from massive red canyon walls in Monument Valley of far northeastern Arizona. We know little more of the builders than what the reticent Navajo tell us—that they were the mysterious "Ancient Ones."

View From Tsay-Begay

From their great, symmetrical cavern in Tsay-Begay of Monument Valley, unknown cliff dwellers looked out from atop circular "store- houses" to majestic mesas below. Walled in on every side by stony escarpments and a maze of canyon corridors, they must have been a secre- tive people. Did they carve the strange petro- glyphs of the Valley, or were these the work of yet earlier tribesmen?

•

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^Cv»3feL.. dC am - *a» The Day We Ate Prarie Dogs...

When man must live off of the land his food tastes may not be too refined. But, this ability to survive bers, turning them a few times until all —to be self sufficient in a land of "What are you going to do with scarcities — may build in him a them?" she pressed him. the hair was singed off. Removing strength of character hard to find I saved him the embarrassment of them from the coals, he scraped them, among men who live out of tin answering. "I imagine he's going to carefully and thoroughly with his knife cans and ready-mix packages. have them for lunch," I said. "Are blade. you going to cook them?" I asked him This accomplished he took them a in Navajo. little distance away, slit them and re- By JOE KERLEY He nodded. moved the entrails, using sharp-pointed soapweed blades as skewers to close "I've never eaten prairie dog a la them up again. With water from my WAS BUILDING a fence back Navajo" the author's wife said. "Why of the trading post and had just canteen he mixed a mud batter and don't you dress them out and cook rolled the little animals in it, skin and quit to eat my lunch when Eric, them, Navajo style, then share our food my author friend, and his bright-eyed all. When they were sufficiently plas- wife came along in their little car. tered, he lifted them, one by one, and placed them carefully on the embers, "Invite us to lunch?" she laughed. pulling some of the hot coals over "If you do we'll share ours with you; them with a twig. Then he borrowed we've enough for half a dozen, I am my shovel again and covered the fire sure." with dirt. I made the motion of drawing back a chair. "It will take a little while for them "Glad to have you. Do sit down," to cook," he said, as confident as any I said. trained chef. They did. On the dirt, beside me. We talked while our desert delicacy But before they could open their lunch roasted and when the proper time had hamper a Navajo boy came riding elapsed the lad got up, uncovered the along the road. fire and withdrew the mudshells. I called to him and he dismounted Deftly cracking them, he lifted out and walked over to where we were the white, tender meat, leaving bones sitting. and skin in the mudshell. The author's wife, full of curiosity I would not choose prairie dog as about things Navajo, noticed some- my favorite meat dish, even cooked thing furry tied to the back of his a la Navajo, which is probably as good saddle. with us?" she asked the boy, adding to a way as any, but with salt from our "What's that?" she asked. me, "Desert potluck, eh?" shakers, and a subduing of lively im- He slanted a glance at me, then The lad looked at me, hesitating. I aginations, we ate the rather tasteless said, shyly: "Prairie dogs." told him we would consider it a great meat. Had it been called prairie rab- favor if he would cook the prairie dogs bit, instead of dog, we might have rel- here as he would at home, and that we ished the feast. would be happy to share our food with As the boy rode away, his stomach him. full, the author's wife looked after him His sense of courtesy prompted him admiringly. to comply. Besides, he was as curious "These desert people!" she ex- about our food and eating habits as we claimed. "So proudly serf-sufficient!" were about his. Then she turned to me with something First, he gathered wood from nearby like fear in her eyes. "What are we cedars and juniper. Then he dug a doing to them? What are we taking hole and built his fire, sprawling on away from them with our civilization? the ground while it burned down to Are we giving enough to compensate?" embers. They were good, sound questions, Then he untied the little prairie dogs but I turned away—I didn't have the and laid their limp bodies on the em- answers. 26 DESERT MAGAZINE HOME ON THE DESERT Mums in a Desert Garden...

Yes, chrysanthemums will flourish in a desert garden, if they are ance—over roses and all other flowers given the proper care. They require a little more pampering in summer, it seemed to me—of chrysanthemums. perhaps, than in a more moderate climate, but there is ample compen- They may very well have stolen the sation for that extra care when September and October come, and the show for they were in season there— mum garden becomes a gorgeous display of many colors. and in Tucson also, for last year we had no killing frost before February By RUTH REYNOLDS —and these stand-bys of the gardener, and the florist, have been bred to new peaks of perfection. Mums of every F EVER THERE is a time when is to be realized. It has been in the size and kind and color are now at magic walks abroad in our land, back of my mind for a long time— home in the garden. and in other lands of the northern since New Year's Day to be exact. On I can remember when they were hemisphere, it is in the month of May television that day I watched Pasa- shaggy clumps of flowers—white or —and May-magic does not by-pass the dena's Tournament of Roses parade yellow or faded rose — beneath my desert. Here of all places its spell and was impressed by the predomin- window when I was a child. Later seems most potent. Here where there is so little rain, where sun and sand prevail, one can almost believe that Sunnyslope Splendor—exotic, glistening white full centered large flower Nature at this time of year has been given a little supernatural assist. with a light overcast of green. Quite literally this is my desert's golden hour—for the palo verdes are in bloom. All over the desertside their flowering boughs, like golden plumes, are spread on the sun-bright air. As if this were not enough the land- scape also is bedecked with cactus blossoms as dazzling and as many- colored as a collection of precious stones. Yes, these are days in which to pros- pect for the desert's rarest gold and most shining gems, and Ted and I are off at every opportunity to stake our claims to countless lovely sites beyond the town. This of course is a pursuit we share with hundreds of other Tuc- sonans and with many Tucson visitors who come for the winter and often stay over for this show. At home the desert's May mood in- vades the garden also. There my young palo verde blossoms though it is as yet thinly branched, and the spring annuals — the cream and crimson "snaps," the red-to-pink and white poppies, the sweet smelling stocks — all still defy the May sun's "Summer coming!" warnings, and the gardener finds herself almost too satisfied with the present to be concerned about the future. Almost—but not quite. The seed, the root, the cutting must be planted or their great flower or fruit potential will never be disclosed. An intolerable thought. So the gardener must plant and anticipate. My present anticipations are cen- tered on a harvest of beauty for au- tumn and it is time to act if the harvest

MAY, 1956 27 quantities of flowers for cutting. They come in all the exciting new colors and are known by intriguing names — of which there are long lists. Improvement in garden mums is well exemplified by Jackson and Perkins' five 1956 "Bird Series" innovations— the golden yellow Baltimore Oriole (September 20) having flat flowers with incurved centers; Titmouse (early October) a clear lavender pink with ball-like flowers; Silver Thrush (early October) with silvery peach flowers that finish a silvery buff; Giant King- bird (September 25) a rose-pink with buff-tan reverses on the center petals; Macaw, a reddish burnt orange suf- fused with gold in the heart of the flower. All are improved to produce large three and one-half to six-inch flowers on vigorous, disease resistant Cascading mum varieties are chosen for their exquisite daintiness and for plants ranging in height from two to the ease with which they may be trained to hang downward. Edwin T. three feet. Giant Kingbird has the Merchant photo. largest flowers on the tallest plants, full and well branched. Not only does it bloom early but its petals are frost they were large yellow football game 10) is a fine example of the decorative- resistant. accessories. spider variety. It has a large, full cen- Now they are an illustrious flower tered flower with a light overcast of More branches bearing more and family, comprising many classes — green throughout, even at maturity. larger flowers are obtained by cutting giant exhibition, decorative, spider, Its long, loose, slightly drooping petals the garden varieties back to eight spoon, feather, button, cascade and radiate outward and are hooked at the inches—first at planting time—or May hardy garden varieties. In a general tips. 15 if they are established—and again way these terms are self explanatory in mid-June with a third cutting back but the groups are not always clearly Spiders are characterized by long to 12 inches in mid-July. thread-like petals ending in fish-hook defined and each group has many va- There are some exceptions to this rieties. tips. Spoons are a variation, having rule. Non-branching varieties should cord-like petals with spoon shaped tips. Exhibition mums have huge blooms, not be cut back. Macaw for example Feathers are feathery—with long and grows upright and produces many either ball-like with incurved petals or short petals radiating from a solid cen- with reflexed (outcurved) petals. They shoots which bear four and one-half- ter. There is a red feather, Phoenix come in many shades of red, bronze, inch flowers at their tips. and a white feather, Sphynx. purple, lavender and pink besides the Chrysanthemum culture is a bit ex- always glamorous white and yellow Giant mums are achieved by "stop- acting. For them desert soil must be varieties. ping" and disbudding and the proce- enriched. A shovelful of aged manure With good care and systematic dis- dure is the same for all varieties. At and a handful of super phosphate for budding they will produce king sized planting time the rooted plant should each plant deeply spaded in and soaked blooms—even in a desert garden. consist only of a central stem which is with water a week before planting time The earlier blooming varieties should nipped back to about 6 inches. Around should be supplemented with two or be chosen for areas that are not frost- July 1, all but two of the lateral growths three feedings of a complete fertilizer free. This applies to all chrysanthe- should be removed. Each of these may during the growing season. But all mums. Blooming dates—listed in cat- be permitted to produce two stems feeding should stop two weeks short alogs and supplied by dealers—should which are disbudded to leave only one of blooming dates. A light manure be well in advance of dates when frost bud to a stem. Some gardeners may mulch at monthly intervals up until may be expected. Here—despite last want to leave only one bud to a plant then will provide the extra nitrogen year's exception—and in many other for a single extra large flower. For me they like and helps keep the soil moist desert areas, this means no later than the risk seems too great. A hungry — another must for mums. This is mid-November, when many exhibition grasshopper might come along and best accomplished by watering deeply varieties are scheduled to bloom. devour it. only as often as necessary for an always While early blooming varieties are To prevent this and to discourage moist soil. not too numerous they are available the stalk borer, use chlordane dust With much sun and a little shade in such beauties as the pure white Hilda or spray applied to the plant and the they are happiest. An east exposure Birch, October 5; the pink to orchid- soil around it. A malathion spray may —beside a wall—is the best location. pink Orchid Glory, October 5; the rich be used during the rainy season to But I have grown them in the garden yellow Golden West, October 1. Miss prevent mildew and to control aphids. with only a castor bean plant to shade Osaka (October 15) is a giant of light Considering the risks, and the me- them in the late afternoon, and they pink with stiff stems and good foliage. ticulous care required to grow the bloomed beautifully until I took too It is a 1956 import of Sunny slope Gar- highly bred types which cannot toler- long a vacation and learned from ex- dens of San Gabriel, California, a com- ate even the slightest neglect, the aver- perience that a hoped-for autumn har- pany specializing in chrysanthemum age gardener may find the hardy gar- vest of beauty from chrysanthemums culture and distribution. den varieties more satisfactory. They depends on how well you remember Their Sunnyslope Splendor (October make a fine mass display and produce them during the summer.

28 DESERT MAGAZINE Snake Danger . . . Cats Are Friends . . . Chicago, Illinois Santa Monica, California Desert: Desert: We are planning a hike across the I once shared Gaston Burridge's Grand Canyon from rim to rim. Would views (Desert, March '56) regarding Joshuas in Utah . . . it be safe to sleep on the ground on the feline family harboring "no real only an air mattress? I am concerned love for mankind" until a little gray Tempiute, Nevada over the rattlesnake, and scorpion dan- Desert: fur-ball was left on my doorsteps by ger. an old mama cat. Question 12 of the March, '56, True INEZ SWANSON or False Quiz (Native Joshua trees of Each evening this kitten would await the Southwest are found only in Cali- Dear Mrs. Swanson—The hike from my return from work and then race fornia, Nevada and Arizona) is marked one rim to the other at Grand Can- the last block alongside my bicycle. "true," but it should be scored "false." yon is a grand adventure—but unless He would not eat his meals until I you are in prime condition do not placed him on my lap and stroked Having aided in the retracernent of him. the Nevada-Utah border for the Bu- try to hurry—and forget about the reau of Land Management, I can as- rattlesnakes. I have slept in the bot- As he emerged into an adult cat, I sure you that there are Joshua trees in tom of the canyon for weeks with- felt he was slipping away, or "revert- Southern Utah as well as in California, out ever seeing one — and I don't ing." Then one evening I suffered a Arizona and Nevada. think the scorpions have ever heard painful accident. I put out his food of the place. In fiction there are but he would not touch it. Instead he R. N. LEUTZINGER lots of snakes on the desert—in fact, jumped up on the sink board and RNL — You are right — there are very few of them. Don't let them watched me cleanse my wounds. That many Joshuas in southern Utah. The spoil your trip—for they are more night I slept fitfully and every time I Quiz Editor sends his apologies for afraid of you than you are of them. awoke I found him on the bed next so flagrant an error.—R.H. —R.H. to me. • • • • • • I am sure I am not alone in my Remembers Ebbens . . . acquaintance with a cat that shows Tiny Seeds of Faith . . . San Bernardino, California genuine affection toward man. Glendale, California Desert: BILL UTTERBACK Desert: Edmund Jaeger's story on Frying The most stimulating observation to Pan Ebbens (March, '56) interested me in the March issue of Desert was me greatly for in 1900 I saw this fa- the editorial paragraph on the ecol- mous prospector in San Jacinto, Cali- Hot Air Power . . . ogy of desert plants. It is quite a fornia. He was leading four of his Chula Vista, California penetrating refutation to the argument burros down the road and when he Desert: that man may destroy himself with his passed I could see that he was an ex- Hard Rock Shorty has nothing on H-bombs. tremely small man. At first I thought us. That a million lives lie dormant in I was looking at a woman in men's While camping in Earthquake Val- one seed in the desert sands is a reaf- clothing. ley several years ago, we had just firmation of faith, if one be needed. I wonder if the bones the sergeant erected our tent and were enjoying the That such a seed will refuse to ger- found in the Borrego Badlands, as told peace and quiet of the desert when a minate unless rainfall is at least half in the story by John Marston (Desert, friendly little breeze came up and an inch or more attests the infinite January, '56), were not those of Eb- started flapping our tent awning. order of the universe; and, that the bens? reasons for this existed before becom- We payed no heed to it and con- WM. N. NELSON tinued to relax. Soon the little breeze ing part of man's knowledgeable realm • • • demonstrates conclusively that there began getting rough and occasionally is an intelligence above and beyond Desert Correspondence . . . flung a handful of sand in our faces. homo sapiens. Huntington Park, California This made us decide to take down JOHN ERHARDT Desert: the tent and move over to Box Canyon Both my husband and I enjoy your east of Mecca. The breeze was now magazine very much for it brings the so strong it hampered this operation Western Stories Shrinking . • . desert to us when we are unable to go and when we got in the car it was Elsinore, California to it. I would like very much to cor- blowing a gale. Desert: respond with some of your women As we moved out of the valley, the In Harold O. Weight's "Jasper at readers who live on the desert. My breeze was throwing walnut-sized rocks Old Sodaville" (January, '56) he address is Box 1213, State Street Sta- at the car. quotes Ogden Mills as saying the nar- tion, Huntington Park, California. It was then that I decided to put row gauge to Keeler was "built either MRS. PAUL SMITH this rascal to work. I turned off the 200 miles too long or 200 years too ignition and slipped the car into neu- soon." tral. Before the wind realized what it In W. A. Chalfant's The Story of More on Prospector . . . had done, it blew us all the way to Inyo (1922, 1933) the same quotation Norwalk, California Kane Springs. is used (page 314)—except he has Desert: This angered it greatly and all the Mills saying that the railroad was "built Your January cover photograph of way into Mecca it tried to blow us either 300 miles too long or 300 years the prospector leading his burro reeks off the road. When we reached Box too soon." of stage dressing and Hollywoodism. Canyon the wind gave up. We set up Are Western tales getting smaller The burro is fine, but the prospector our tent and enjoyed the peace and instead of bigger? —Ugh! quiet of another desert day. K. E. GORDON THE TAYLORS REY and THELMA BARNHART

MAY, 1956 29 near Grand Junction, Colorado. The outlook for the Dolores Basin is for runoff of 77 percent of average at the Below Normal February Rains headwaters to near 60 percent of aver- age in the lower reaches. The Colorado River at Cisco, Utah, is forecast to be Alter River Runoff Forecasts 97 percent of the 1938-52 streamflow. The current water supply outlook The water supply outlook for the runoff indicated even if precipitation for the Green River in Wyoming and major streams of the Desert Southwest for the rest of the season should be for the Little Snake, Yampa and White is generally not as favorable as it was near normal. The November-June run- Rivers in Colorado is for above aver- a month ago, although the changes off of the Salt River near Roosevelt, age streamflow. Forecasts vary from have been slight. Arizona, is forecast to be near 57 per- 110 percent to 124 percent of average. Precipitation during February over cent of average while only 41 percent The water supply outlook for the Utah the Lower Colorado Basin ranged from of average streamflow is indicated for tributaries of the Green River was less near normal over the upper watersheds the Verde River above Horseshoe Dam, promising as of March 1. Forecasts of the Gila, Salt and Little Colorado Arizona. vary from slightly below average run- Rivers to much less than normal over Forecasts for the main stream and off for the Duchesne River to 74 per- the drainage basin of the Verde River. tributaries of the Upper Colorado cent of average for the Price River near This did not alter the waterflow pre- range from 105 percent to 122 percent Heiner, Utah. The Green River at dictions for the Little Colorado River of the 1938-52 average runoff. For Green River, Utah, is predicted to have Basin, however, which is expected to the Gunnison Basin, near 11.0 percent 119 percent of average runoff. be near half of the 1938-52 average. of average runoff is predicted for the Much below normal precipitation, The water supply outlook for the upper Taylor River; near 80 percent for the averaging only 40 percent of normal, Gila Basin remains critical with only Uncompahgre Basin; and near 90 per- was reported for the San Juan River 20 percent to 30 percent of average cent of average for the Gunnison River Basin during February. Prospects of water supply for the San Juan Basin vary from 88 percent at Rosa, New Mexico, to 75 percent at Farmington, New Mexico. February rainfall over the Rio Hard Rock Shorty Grande Basin was about 60 percent of normal resulting in water-year runoff forecasts for the Rio Grande at Del of Death Valley Norte, Colorado, and for the tribu- taries draining the San Juan Moun- "Nope, there ain't no home- when ol' Hank Hooley planted tains of about 90 percent of average. steaders in Death Valley," Hard 10 acres o' potaters. Two days Only 65 percent of average runoff is in Rock Shorty was telling the Kan- later one of them Mojave twisters prospect for streams on the western sas farmer who, touring the West, come along an' blowed them seed slopes of the Sangre de Cristo range had stopped at the Inferno store taters right outta the ground an' in New Mexico. Flow in the middle for gas and water. "Ain't enough scattered them over Pete Paloo- Rio Grande Valley is forecast to be rain here to grow good sage ka's new plowed field three miles about 65 percent of average while in- brush," Shorty added. down the valley. Soon's Hank flow into Elephant Butte Reservoir is found out about it he sez to Pete: predicted to be near 50 percent of "But why don't you get more average. rain?" the Kansan asked. 'S'long as I furnished the seed I guess we outta go 50-50 on that Precipitation during February aver- "Trouble is, rain falls too slow tater crop.' here," Shorty explained. "Comes aged from below normal to much be- down so slow it all evaporates "Pete sez: T guess them taters low normal over the Great Salt Lake 'fore it gits to the ground. Only wuz planted by an act of Divine Basin, causing forecasts for this region time we get any moisture is when Providence, an' you ain't got no to be 5 percent to 15 percent lower one o' them strong winds blows claim on them.' than those issued last month. the snow over here from the top "Of course that made Hank Current prospect for streamflow in of oP Mount Whitney. But gen- plenty mad. the Sevier Basin ranges from 55 per- cent to 65 percent of average, approxi- erally the wind changes the next "Taters grew fine an' it looked day and blows it back, so it don't mately the flows that occurred during as if Pete'd make a lotta money the 1954 season. Near 82 percent of do us no good. out of 'em. Pete rented one o' "If you're lookin' fer a farm, average runoff is forecast for the Bea- them diggin' machines, but jest ver River near Beaver, Utah. why don't you go down along as he got them spuds all outta the Mojave River near Barstow. the ground that ol' Mojave bliz- The water supply outlook for the Lot o' good land down there an' zard came along blowin' the other Humboldt River Basin remains ex- plenty o' water. Only trouble is way an' picked them up an' tremely good. Water-year forecasts them homesteaders down there is dumped them in Hank's corral. for the upper Humboldt Basin range always feudin'. Hank sold the spuds and Pete's from 173 percent of average for the "Lots o' wind down there too, been growlin' about it ever since. main stream at Palisade, Nevada, to an' that's what makes them home- Wind's allus doin' crazy things 188 percent of average for the South steaders all mad at each other. like that down there. It ain't no Fork of the Humboldt River near Elko, Feudin' started 10, 15 years ago place fer a peace-lovin' farmer." Nevada. Near 143 percent of average runoff is expected for the Martin Creek near Paradise Valley, Nevada.

30 DESERT MAGAZINE Vandalism Curbs Sought . . . JEROME — Vandalism in Jerome Hm and Ibete on the Desert ... has reached alarming proportions, ac- cording to R. E. Lawrence, president of the Jerome Historical Society. That ARIZONA struction site, they can look for ex- organization recently offered a $50 re- cellent job opportunities," he said. ward for information leading to the Marriage Law Accepted . . . Flagstaff has been mentioned as prob- arrest and conviction of persons re- YUMA—Yuma County ministers able construction railhead for the proj- sponsible for the destruction, deface- accepted a proposed law which would ect. The dam will also mean a large ment or theft of any of the society's require Arizona couples to take a blood new supply of low-cost power for the signs or markers. Several shotgun test before being married. Out-of-state state, particularly for Northern Arizona blasts ruined a large sign containing couples would not have to take the where the Navajo reservation is lo- over 800 carved letters. Lawrence test. This bill is a substitute for a bill cated. Navajo Dam, to be located on estimated that 200 hours of labor went which originally proposed a 72-hour the upper San Juan in New Mexico, into the construction of this sign. — waiting period for all couples, from will provide farms for transplanting Verde Independent Arizona as well as out-of-state. The about 1400 Indian families, most of • • • 72-hour wait law was opposed on the who now live in the Arizona portion grounds that it would cost Yuma an of the reservation.—Coconino Sun Apaches Plan Tours . . . estimated half-million dollars a year GLOBE—Conducted tours of the spent by California couples who come San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation northeast of Globe will be an added to Arizona to be married.—Yuma Sun Stadium Fund Bill Drafted . . . attraction for motorists who travel TEMPE — Two Maricopa County Highway 70, the Arizona Highway 70 legislators have drafted a bill appro- Navajo Job Opportunity . . . Association announced. Jesse S. Ste- priating $2,000,000 for construction vens, chairman of the Apache Tribal FLAGSTAFF—Construction of the of a stadium in Papago Park to serve Council, said his tribe is proud of the big power dam on the Colorado River the state fair and Arizona State College progress being made at the San Carlos in Glen Canyon, first step in the Upper at Tempe. The stadium would be Reservation and those who dwell there Basin project, is expected to result in part of a package plan calling for re- want the world to know about it. The large scale employment opportunities moval of the state fairground to the proposed tours would give visitors a for Navajo workers, Rep. Stewart park area and sale of the present fair close-up of actual tribal enterprises, Udall of Arizona believes. "With many site for homes and a shopping center. including the schools, the government of the Navajo people living within a Sponsors of the bill are Norman S. Lee offices and the work shops.—Wicken- relatively short distance of the con- and Ruth T. Hunt.—Phoenix Gazette burg Sun

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MAY, 1956 31 DESERT TEA. One pound one dollar postpaid. Greasewood Greenhouses, Len- THE DESERT TRADING POST wood, Barstow, California. BUILD YOUR OWN real swimming pool! Classified Advertising in This Section Costs 12c a Word, $2.00 Minimum Per Issue Fun for the entire family! Easy plan and instructions, only $1.00. Delta Pools, Box 604, Stockton, California. INDIAN GOODS RARE GEOGRAPHIC Magazines for sale. SECTIONIZED COUNTY MAPS — San Write Frank Drew, 901 Ormond Lane, Bernardino $1; Riverside $1; Imperial VISIT THE Three Flags Trading Post on Redondo Beach, California. 50c; San Diego 50c; Inyo 75c; other Cali- 395 Highway, AVi miles south of Cole- fornia counties $1.25 each. Nevada coun- ville, California. Genuine Indian made ties $1 each. Topographic maps of all goods at reasonable prices. Desert Dave A SWIMMING POOL of your own! Build mapped areas. Westwide Maps Co., 114 or The Duchess will show you around. a sparkling blue pool at low cost! Get started now with this new, exciting do-it- W. Third St., Los Angeles, California. yourself book, "Let's Build a Swimming CALIFORNIA MOUND Trade beads: 20- Pool!" only $1.00 postpaid. J. Robertson, OLD WALL TELEPHONES—oak cabinet, inch strand (tiny) $1.00; 24-inch (me- Box 604, Stockton, California. good condition. Regular $15—now $9.95. dium) $1.00; 24-inch (large) $1.50; 20- Two $18.50. Six $50.00. Tontz's, Dept. inch (tube) $1-75. 5 ancient arrowheads, 31, Elsinore, California. $1.00. Grooved net sinker and scraper ROCK COLLECTORS Idaho and Nevada. $1.00. Drill, flint knife and birdpoint, Excellent book on locales. $2.50. D. GOLD PROSPECTING CATALOG—List- $1.00. Good spearhead (3V£-inch) $1.00. Henry, Adin, California. ing, placer and lode maps, steel gold Paul Summers, Canyon, Texas. pans, mining and mineral books, books on HAVE REAL fun with desert gems, min- lost mines, pocket magnifying glasses, 5 FTNE ANCTENT Indian arrowheads, $2. erals and rocks. The rockhound's how- mineral collection sets, blueprints of dry Flint eagle ceremonial, $2. Perfect Fol- to-do-it magazine tells how. One year washers and wet washers you can build some, $5. Spearhead, $1. List Free. Lear's (12 issues) only $3.00. Sample 25c. Gems yourself. Catalog and Gold Panning Les- Glenwood, Arkansas. sons — Free. Old Prospector, Box 729, and Minerals, Dept. J-10, Palmdale, Calif. Desk 5, Lodi, California. BEAUTIFUL TURQUOTSE and Silver jew- elry by the Pueblo Tribes — Authentic FREE! BIG 40 page book "Where to Look INTERESTED IN Prospecting for Gold Navajo rugs. The Bradleys, 4639 Cren- for Uranium in California" when you and Industrial Minerals? Join United shaw Blvd., Los Angeles 43, California. subscribe to Western Mining Magazine— Prospectors and read Panning Gold. one year, $2.00, a real value. Western Write for application: United Prospec- Mining, Box 787, Sonora, California. tors, 7011/2 E. Edgeware Rd., Los Ange- PAPAGO INDIAN baskets. Wholesale. les 26, California. Keystone. Baskets are in short supply this year. David L. Young. Coleville, Calif. BOOKS FOUND—Any title! Free world- wide book search service. Any book, URANIUM MAP of Southwest. Geiger new or old. Western Americana a spe- counters, scintillators, snooper, $29.95 OVER 600 fine old baskets. Many rare cialty. Lowest price. Send wants today! up. Free catalog, or better, send $1.00 Navajo rugs, both old and new, Bayeta- International Bookfinders, Box 3003-D, for authentic uranium map of Southwest Germantown. Artifacts, gems, and fine Beverly Hills, California. Desert and catalog. Harry's Geiger Indian jewelry. Open daily 10 to 6, closed Counters, 360 So. Hawthorne Blvd., Mondays. Buffalo Trading Post, Highway Hawthorne, California. 18, Apple Valley, California. WANTED—Back issues of Desert Magazine. Will pay $5 for Nov. '37; $1 for Apr. '38; INDIAN PHONOGRAPH Records. New FIVE FINE Prehistoric Indian arrowheads $1.50 for Sept. '38; $1.00 for Feb. '39, in Singers! Latest Songs! As well as many $2.00. Perfect stone tomahawk $2.20. Ef- good condition. Desert Magazine, Palm old-time songs and chants—all completely figy pipe $5.00. Perfect flint thunderbird Desert, California. authentic. Write for free record list No. $3.00. Flint fish hook $3.00. List free. 5. Canyon Records, 834 N. 7th Avenue, Five offers for only $12.00. Arrowhead, Phoenix, Arizona. Box 1249, Hot Springs, Arkansas. REAL ESTATE SILVERY DESERT HOLLY plants: One INDIAN ARTIFACTS of the Pacific Coast. FOR SALE—Rock Shop on Highway 90, dollar each postpaid. Greasewood Green- Northwest sculptured masks and rattles. V/i miles west of Marfa, Texas, Presidio houses, Lenwood, Barstow, California. Baskets. Beautiful black obsidian knife, County. In Big Bend area. 3 acres of $4.00; Arrowhead, $1.00; Illustrated cata- land. Good 5-room house, good well of FIND BURIED TREASURE, gold and sil- log, 50c. Moise Penning, 158 Dolorosa, water, electric pump. Butane gas system ver, with Goldak's sensational 3'/i lb. San Lorenzo, California. for utilities. Will sell with rock shop or "Find-It" locator, only $49.50. Write for without. Brian Cartwright, Box 456, free literature on complete line of mineral, Marfa, Texas. metal locators; Geiger and scintillation ORDER BY mail: Indian Made Thunder- counters. Goldak, 1541 W. Glenoaks bird necklace $2.95. Papago Tray Basket Blvd., Glendale, California. $2.50. 18 by 36 inch Navajo rug $3.95. SAVE, BUY direct from Government, Sur- Price includes postage and sales tax. Three plus farms, land, homes, etc. List $1.00. Flags Trading Post, Coleville, California. LADY GODIVA "The World's Finest Box 169-DMA, East Hartford 8, Conn. Beautifier." For women who wish to become beautiful, for women who wish BOOKS — MAGAZINES BEAUTIFUL, PARTLY level, 20 acres in- to remain beautiful. An outstanding des- cluding famous Coral Reef Mt, many ert cream. For information, write or call superb building spots. Full price $6000. Lola Barnes, 963 N. Oakland, Pasadena NOW AVAILABLE—"Causes and Signifi- The All American Canal wanders lazily 6, Calif., or phone SYcamore 4-2378. cance of the Modoc Indian War." Bound through an 80-acre farm surrounded with first release information on Modoc Indian lovely desert mountains just 7 miles from FREE "Do-It-Yourself" Leathercraft Cata- War from files of War Department. Au- Indio. It's for sale, $26,500. Ronald L. log. Tandy Leather Company. Box 791- thentic fascinating story, by Cadet Hugh Johnson, Thermal, California. T15, Fort Worth, Texas. Wilson of West Point (1930-1951), avail- able by mail, $1 postpaid. Revenues for CHOICE HOMESITES and acreage. Salton GHOST TOWN ITEMS: Sun-colored glass, college scholarships. Order now, Hugh amethyst to royal purple; ghost railroads Wilson Scholarship, High School PTA, Sea vicinity. For full information write Pon & Co., Box 46 DA, Azusa, Calif. materials, tickets; limited odd items from Tule Lake, California. camps of the '60s. Write your interest— Box 64-D, Smith, Nevada. GROW ORCHID plants from all parts of MISCELLANEOUS the world! Fascinating hobby or business. PAN GOLD: $1 for 75 panning areas in Beautiful instruction booklet, price list, 25 California counties. Geological for- 50c. 12 Novelty Orchid Plants, assorted GLOWSPAR THREE-WAY black lights. mations, elevations, pertinent notes. Pan- colors, to bloom this summer, $5.50. Operate from AC or batteries or car. ning pans $2.75, $2.25. Leather nugget Samuel Presner, Box 4550-DR, Coral- Lowest prices. Glowspar Company, Box and dust poke $1. Fred Mark, Box 801, gables, Florida. 8721, Los Angeles 8, California. Ojai, California.

32 DESERT MAGAZINE NO MATTER who you are, where you live, Predator Tally Released . . . do not want to make a honky-tonk out or who has tried to repair your Radiation of our town." The council is studying Instruments, let us do it right. Don't SACRAMENTO—During the past send us cheap toy or vibrator type coun- six years Department of Fish and a resolution which would announce a ters. Since most radioactive test pieces Game trappers have taken a total of new policy of allowing no new gam- with instruments are extremely inaccurate, 41,578 predators. Coyotes top the list bling licenses north of the railroad we calibrate exclusively by U.S. Bureau of individual species with 11,429 taken of Standards radium gamma ray standard. tracks or in the heart of downtown IGWTD, Truth or Consequences, New during this period. There were 24,- Reno. One of the purposes of the Mexico. 314 lesser predators such as skunks, proposed resolution is to discourage rats, weasels and others. The Depart- gambling applicants from planning op- 36 CACTUS AND succulents, $2.00 post- ment trappers killed 5339 bobcats, 287 paid. Price list 25c. Mrs. S. Sorensen, erations in inadequate buildings. — Rt. 1, Box 333, Mira Loma, California. bears and 209 mountain lions in this six year period. Emphasis has changed Nevada State Journal POWERFUL POCKET size black light with low drain battery kit carrying case, com- from deer areas to lowland nesting plete $29.50. Glowspar Company, Box areas of upland game and water-fowl, 8721, Los Angeles 8, California. the Department said. For example, the BUY SURPLUS direct from government at number of coyotes taken annually has DBSERT tremendous savings. Farm tools, machin- decreased from 3265 in 1950 to 1220 ery, feed, truck, jeep, tractor. Hundreds in 1955.—Inyo Register of others. List $1.00. Box 169-Daa East WOODCRAFT Hartford 8, Connecticut. • • • 1144V& North Vermont Boat Basin Planned . . . Hollywood, California CALIFORNIA Now in Our New Location SALTON SEA PARK—A $70,000 FEATURING all kinds of furniture pieces development program will be under- made of desert woods. Ironwood, sumac, To Record Pioneer Music . . . Joshua tree and cholla and Saguaro cactus. DEATH VALLEY —Songs of the taken this year at Salton Sea State Tables, floor and table lamps, book-ends, Park. The State Division of Parks and arrangement pieces, etc. desert, the famed 20-mule team days Large Stock of Wood on Hand of Death Valley, the prospector and Beaches has appropriated $50,000 for PICK OUT your own driftwood pieces. The a boat basin and $20,000 for roads original craftsman in Ironwood. The only his burro and of early homesteaders craft of its kina anywhere. I will design and parking at the park. The program and make anything for the home or office. are to be available in phonograph rec- This craft must be seen to be believed. ord form at an early date, Mrs. George is in addition to $275,000 for acquisi- Also do fine wood turning with tropical Palmer Putnam, president of the Death tion of 10 miles of additional beach woods. A cordial welcome to all. frontage contained in the governor's Open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Daily & Sunday Valley 49ers, announced. The songs, Closed Saturday written and sung originally to guitar recent announcement of his program accompaniment by J. E. (Aim) Mor- for state parks and beaches. The boat DAVID R. JONES hardt of Bishop, have been recorded. basin is designed to eliminate boating Artisan in Desert Woods —Inyo Register hazards to swimmers as well as pro- vide launching and other facilities for • • • small craft.—Coachella Valley Sun Tourist Detour Fought . . . GLORIOUS HDVEHTURE NEEDLES — Needles officials are • • • opposing a Las Vegas, Nevada, pro- Two Park Sites Added . . . posal that Highway 66 be rerouted as INDIO—Governor Goodwin Knight either an alternate or north route added two more sites in Riverside through the gambling capital from County to his priority list for state Kingman, Arizona. Traffic would parks. Both of the new parks are in travel on Highways 93 and 466 across the desert end of the county, Quien Hoover Dam into Las Vegas, then Sabe point on the Colorado River, and swing down into California to Bar- Mecca Hills, southeast of Indio. The stow. Needles officials believe the re- river park received 26th priority from routing would harm their tourist in- the governor and Mecca Hills is No. dustry which ranks second behind the 100 on the list of 119 recommended Santa Fe railway.—Los Angeles Times projects.—Hemet News • • • e • • Cork Tree Experiment . . . NEVADA HOLTVILLE — Amateur horticul- Comstock Dollars Proposed . . . In the Canyons of the Colorado turist John DePaoli believes cork trees WASHINGTON, D. C—Five hun- and San Juan Rivers will thrive in California's Imperial Val- Sturdy boats and skilled boatmen-guides ley. In 1940 DePaoli bought two small dred thousand silver dollars would be insure safe and thoroughly enjoyable passage cork oaks and planted them in his minted for nationwide circulation to through the most colorful canyons of the front yard. Today the full grown corks commemorate the Nevada silver cen- Southwest desert. tenary in 1959 and the 100th anniver- SAN JUAN AND COLORADO RIVERS are shedding acorns which DePaoli is Mexican Hat to Lee's Ferry planting in his experimental garden sary of the Comstock Lode's discovery 7-day trips scheduled in May and June which also has 50 one-year old cork at Virginia City under a bill introduced $200 for each person oak saplings which were transplanted by Senator Alan Bible of Nevada. GLEN CANYON OF THE COLORADO There are now in general circulation Hite, Utah, to Lee's Ferry from quart cans to large drums. De- 8-day trips in August and September Paoli says a grown Cork Oak will 231,000,000 silver dollars, none $150 for each person remove as much as 500 gallons of minted after 1935. — Nevada State GRAND CANYON OF THE COLORADO water from the atmosphere in a single Journal Lee's Ferry to Lake Mead • • • 18-day trip in July day. He believes that if the Imperial Special charter trips may be arranged. Valley could become a roothouse of Gambling Limit Favored . . . Write for 1956 summer schedule and rates. such trees, dreaded summer humidity RENO—Mayor Len Harris of Reno J. FRANK WRIGHT would be a minor concern.—Holtville declared the city council is considering MEXICAN HAT EXPEDITIONS Tribune new gambling restrictions "because we P.O. Box 427 Blanding, Utah

MAY, 1956 33 Water Rights Decided . . . the day its first stamp was sold on Federal Holdings Enlarged . . . RENO—District Court Judge Gor- April 15, 1862. But, before the Post CARSON CITY—Nevada land area don Rice ruled in favor of John La- Office Department issues the final clo- owned by the Federal Government, borde, a Lander County rancher and sure order, Senator Alan Bible has highest percentage-wise in the nation, cattleman, in a complicated water asked Unionville's patrons, totaling has increased during the last few years, rights case that may have far reaching nine families, "What are your feelings Senator George W. Malone announced. significance in the livestock industry. about this?" If protests are received, "The critical aspect of such large Fed- Laborde, in seeking a restraining order they will be turned over to the Post eral holdings," Malone stated, "is the against another Central Nevada cattle- Office Department for consideration. non-taxability and loss of revenue of man to prevent him from using six Postal officials want to put in a Star such lands by state or local authorities." springs in Lander County, contended route running from the Imlay railhead, Excluding trust properties, the National that he had a vested water right recog- giving Unionville patrons box service Government owns 87.1 percent of the nized by the state. The other rancher including stamp purchase facilities.— land in Nevada. Second largest na- maintained that he had a right to use Nevada State Journal tional holdings are 70.2 percent of the springs because of his grazing priv- Utah.—Pioche Record ileges under the Taylor Grazing Act. • • • Wheeler Survey Ordered ... Judge Rice decided that the Taylor NEW MEXICO ELY — A study of the Lehman Grazing Act does not supersede water Pueblos Join Congress . . . rights on the public domain that have Caves-Wheeler Peak area in eastern White Pine County as a possible na- SANTO DOMINGO — The All been granted under state law.—Nevada Pueblo Council voted to join the Na- State Journal . . , tional park site, has been ordered by the National Park Service and the tional Congress of American Indians Post Office May Close . . . United States Forest Service. The 28- as a move toward unified tribal action. The councilmen also decided to adopt UNIONVILLE — The Unionville square-mile area has outstanding quali- fications as a scenic and outdoor rec- a constitution for the All Pueblo group postoffice, two years older than the and named a committee to begin draft- state itself, may close its doors on reation land, backers of the park contend.—Ely Record ing the document.—New Mexican July 1, 1956, almost 94 years from • • • Fort Union to Open . . . LAS VEGAS — Old Fort Union, According to the law of aver- once a key defense post of the Santa ages, you should get half of Fe Trail, will be opened to the public TRUE OR FALSE these right even if you know this summer as a national monument. nothing about the Great American Desert. But most Desert readers will The government, which relinquished do much better than that. A score of 15 is very good—17 or 18 is excel- control of the famous fort more than lent. Over 18 is exceptional. Anyway, there's no harm in trying, and 50 years ago, is spending $360,000 for your score will improve from month to month if you are a regular reader. its restoration as a tourist attraction. The answers are on page 38. The state of New Mexico is putting in 1—The peccary or javelina runs wild in southern Arizona. True eight miles of access roads and paying False a private firm $20,000 for loss of the 2—The blossom of the ocotillo is always red. True False grazing pastures it has been using 3—The states which meet at the famous "Four Corners" are Colorado, around the crumbling adobe walls. Texas, Arizona and Utah. True False The fort is located 26 miles north of 4—Stalactites protrude from the floor of a cave. True False Las Vegas near the community of 5—Elephant Butte dam is located on the Colorado River. True Watrous. False 6—Only vegetable dyes made from native shrubs of the desert are used in coloring yarn for Navajo blankets. True False You'll want to keep those 7—The blossom of Rabbit Bush is yellow. True False 8—Lowell Observatory is located near Flagstaff, Arizona. True False MAPS 9—Lieut. Ives brought the first camel caravan across the American which appear each month in desert. True False Desert Magazine—maps which 10—Natural Bridges National Monument is in Utah. True False will be your guide on many de- 11—A line drawn north and south through Las Vegas, Nevada, would lightful excursions into the great be west of Phoenix, Arizona. True False desert playground. 12—Jerome, Arizona, was once a flourishing lead-producing camp. True False Attractive loose-leaf binders em- 13—Desert Indians often used calcite for making their arrowheads. bossed in gold not only will True False preserve the maps, but will be 14—Shongopovi is the name of one of the Hopi towns. True a beautiful addition to your False home book-shelf. Each binder 15—Roosevelt Dam was named in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt. holds 12 copies. Easy to insert, True False they open flat. 16- -Meteorites always contain nickle or iron. True False Mailed postpaid for 17- -Prescott was once the capital of Arizona. True False $2.00 18- -Mexican Hat, Utah, is on a bluff above the San Juan River. True False 19—Sidewinders are seldom seen when the sun is up. True False 20—Juniper is a cone-bearing tree. True False PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA

34 DESERT MAGAZINE Abiquiu Dam Work . . . sion revealed. H. C. Shoemaker, com- Townsfolk Ready Trees . . . ALBUQUERQUE —Work on the mission chairman, pointed out that the KEARNS — Residents of Kearns long-awaited Abiquiu dam, a $11,- figure does not include persons who will continue their "Green Up" cam- 623,000 portion of the huge Chama might believe in fundamentalist doc- paign to make this community a gar- River flood control project, is sched- trines, but only those in families where den spot in Utah by planting 18,000 uled to begin this spring. Col. Robert the doctrine is practiced. The largest trees this summer. Last fall several P. Cron, district engineer of the Corps concentration, the survey showed, is hundred new lawns were planted under of Engineers at Albuquerque, an- in Salt Lake County where approxi- direction of the Kearns Recreation nounced that he plans to let the first mately 1600 men, women and children Council which is sponsoring the tree contract on the construction job in live in polygamist families. The find- planting campaign. A belt of 12,000 April. Completion of the project is ings point to the fact that previous trees will be planted around the south expected in July, 1959.—New Mexican polygamy estimates were exaggerated. and west sides of the city along with • • • —Salt Lake Tribune two select trees for every home.—Salt Indian Lawsuits Extended . . . Lake Tribune WASHINGTON, D. C—American Hite Ferry Sold . . . Indians were given five more years to sue the government for loss of their HITE—A. L. Chaffin has sold his Hite Ferry and ranch to Reed Maxfield 'H Face To Face aboriginal rights to their land, lost to ,|3 10,000 Indians, All Tribes the white man. The action, by the and Clyde Konold of Bicknell, Utah. Senate Interior Committee, is still sub- Additional accommodations are plan- M AUGUST 9-12 ned by the new owners who will con- r* \ Write for Information ject to approval by the House and mA Ceremonial Association Senate.—New Mexican tinue to operate the ferry on a regular w }Box 1029, Gallup, New Mexico • • • schedule, seven days a week. Maxfield and Konold will carry on the cabin Christ Statue Planned . . . rentals, gas and oil sales and car re- ALBUQUERQUE — A 350-foot, pair service. The Chaffins plan to Looking for a PUBLISHER? stainless steel statue of "The Christ of Do you have a book-length manuscript you reside in Teasdale. would like to have published? Learn about the Southwest," which would rotate our unusual plan whereby your book can be • • • published, promoted and distributed on a once every 24 hours with its face fol- professional basis. We consider all types of lowing the sun, may be built here soon. Mormon Battalion Monument . . . work—fiction, biography, poetry, scholarly and religious books, etc. New authors wel- Plans to construct a spiritual and cul- SALT LAKE CITY — An antici- come. For more information, write for valu- tural center "worthy of New Mexico's able booklet D. It's free. pated 1000 men, women and children VANTAGE PRESS, INC. great Christian heritage," surrounding will travel from Salt Lake City in July 6253 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood 28, Calif. the statue, are progressing in Albu- to help dedicate a Mormon Battalion Main Office: New York 1, N. Y. querque. Cost of the project, depend- monument at the Civic Center in Los ing upon the site and the final plans, Angeles. Mormon Battalion, Inc., a has been roughly estimated at between subsidiary of the National Society of $500,000 and $3,000,000.—Phoenix Sons of Utah Pioneers, is arranging the 1000 TRAVEL SCENES Gazette travel program. The original battalion, • e • COLOR SLIDES composed of 506 men, 31 women, 32 FO« rou« Elk Die in Transit . . . children and six teenage servants, was VACATION RECORD TAOS — Fred Patton, public rela- sworn into the U. S. Army to help tions director for the State Game De- Gen. Kearny in the conquest of Cali- SPECIAL OFFER partment, reported an "alarming num- fornia. Tentative plans call for the To introduce readers of DESERT to our 2"x2" COLOR SLIDES for home projec- ber" of elk have died while being Utah citizens to leave Salt Lake City tion, we are offering a FREE 20 page shipped to the state. State and private by auto on July 1 for Las Vegas, catalog and a FREE sample color slide. Travel, Science, Nature, National Parks interests have been transplanting 460 Nevada. After a day there, the group and the southwest. Write today to — Yellowstone Park elk to New Mexico will continue to Los Angeles, arriving KELLY D. CHODA this year. Patton said six of 40 elk July 3.—Salt Lake Tribune consigned to Ralph M. Rounds of the 732 URSULA ST. AURORA 8, COLO. Pot Creek Lumber Co. were dead on • • • arrival. Rounds bought the elk for Dinosaur Road Ordered ... planting on the Little Rio Grande south JENSEN—Work on the two-mile of Taos. The department lost seven of section of unfinished road between KENT FROST 120 to be released in the Gila Wilder- Jensen and the Dinosaur National ness.—New Mexican Monument is expected to commence JEEP TRIPS • • • the first of May, according to Com- missioner Durt Dudley. With the com- Into the Famous UTAH pletion of this project, a hard surfaced Utah Needles Area Polygamy Exaggerated . . . road from U. S. Highway 40 at Jensen Junction of the Green and Colorado rivers, Indian Creek, Salt Creek, Davis Canyon, SALT LAKE CITY—About 2000 to the Monument headquarters will be Lavaader Canyon, Beef Basin, Elk Mts., Lock Heart Basin, Monument Canyon, Dead Utah residents live in homes where available for visitors.—Vernal Express Horse Point, Grand View Point, Red Canyon, polygamy is practiced, a survey con- Noki Dome, Bridges National Monument, ducted by the State Welfare Commis- Hovenweep National Monument. FAMOUS MEYER Z-52 ZOYSIA 3-Day or longer trips arranged for 2 to • Crowds out weeds and crabgrass 6 person parties $25 daily per person • Amazing new lawn grass — stays Fee includes sleeping bags, transportation, MELODY LANE APT. MOTEL green under scorching summer sun. guide service and excellent meals cooked • Air shipment! Write Dept. G for over the open camp fire. NORTH ADOBE ROAD illustrated information. For reservation write— TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA KENT FROST P. O. Box 66 Telephone 3211 WurfgrassCrifarm 4961 E. 22nd ST. • TUCSON, ARIZ. Monticello, Utah

MAY, 1956 35 Salt Lake City, Utah . . . Directors of White Canyon Mining Co. of Salt Lake City announced sale of the firm's Arizona manganese properties to a California religious institution in a transac- MINK md MINING tion which will net the firm $575,000. The company also reported that it plans to drill Washington, D. C. ... Window Rock, Arizona . . . one new wildcat on its 30,000-acre oil and The United States Bureau of Mines re- Chairman Paul Jones clarified the Navajo gas leasehold in San Juan County, Utah. ports improved metallurgical techniques in Tribal Council's position regarding the leas- Two of the company's wells are ready to the titanium metal industry in 1955 resulted ing of tribal lands to the Delhi-Taylor Oil deliver natural gas to Pacific Northwest in the manufacture of titanium sponge of Corporation. The area embraced by the Pipeline Corporation's transmission line higher quality, record high production, and preliminary negotiations covers approxi- when that facility is completed by mid-sum- reduction in the price of titanium sponge mately one-third of the reservation south mer, 1956.—Salt Lake Tribune metal and titanium mill products. Govern- and west of the Four Corners area princi- ment assistance for the creation of addi- pally in Arizona. Jones emphasized that tional titanium sponge capacity was sus- the Delhi-Taylor contract will not embrace Carson City, Nevada . . . pended in 1955 as the supply of titanium the entire reservation and that it will not sponge exceeded demand during the year. result in a "freeze out" of present oil and Less than 500,000 short-ton units of Industrial demand for other titanium prod- gas operators. The tribe will reserve areas tungsten remain to be purchased under the ucts continued to increase in 1955 as high offsetting producing properties and larger government's domestic buying program be- records were also established in the produc- amounts of other acreage for future oil and fore the 3,000,000 unit limitation is reached, tion and shipments of ilmenite concentrates gas leasing under the competitive bidding Senator Alan Bible of Nevada reported. and titanium pigments.—Humboldt Star system, Jones concluded.—Salt Lake Trib- Nevada is the nation's biggest tungsten producer.—Nevada State Journal

THE PROSPECTOR'S CATALOG We are pleased to announce the advent of Lcts Vegas, Nevada . . . Washington, D. C. . . . a new Minerals Unlimited Catalog, specifi- The Johns-Manville Company was said cally designed for the amateur or profes- The court of claims ruled recently the sional prospector. If you are interested in to be negotiating for property between Las Geljjer Counters, Mineralights, Blowpipe Sets, Vegas and Henderson with the idea of enter- government is liable for damages as a result Gold Pan or any of the other equipment ing that area in the gypsum business. In an of the war-time closing of the country's necessary to a field or prospecting trip, effort to determine the extent of the Nevada gold mines. The court referred to a com- send 5c in stamps or coin for your copy. missioner the determination of amounts of MINERALS UNLIMITED, Dent. D deposit, an exploratory company will soon 1724 University Avc, Berkeley, California begin diamond drilling, trenching and other damages due Homestake Mining Co., Idaho exploratory work on the property. It is Maryland Mines Corp., Central Eureka expected that this preliminary work will be Mining Co., Alaska-Pacific Consolidated completed within a year. — Nevada State Mines Co., Bald Mountain Mining Co. and Journal Ermont Mines, Inc. The court found that an order issued by the War Production RADIUM MINES, INC. • • o Board October 8, 1942, amounted to a 140 N. VIRGINIA ST. New York City. New York . . . temporary taking of property by the gov- ernment for which just compensation must RENO, NEVADA Copper climbed to its highest price in more than 80 years in mid-February. Ana- be paid under the fifth amendment to the conda Sales Co. broke the price pattern Constitution. This order was designed to Why not deal with

36 DESERT MAGAZINE Ore Samples Identified BOOM DAYS IN URANIUM Free at Government Lab The United States has recently established a mineral identification laboratory at the Bureau of Mines' Denver, Colorado, Fed- Experts See Stability Ahead eral Center. There the government is equipped to answer questions concerning new minerals at no cost to the amateur or professional prospector. Chemical tests and a sensitive sealer are In Nation's Utanfatn Industry used to identify minerals sent to the labora- tory, but no attempts are made to assay the The New York Times, in an exhaustive looking to the foreign field for profitable minerals. financial page survey of the uranium situa- sales until nuclear power becomes widely Similar labs in Salt Lake City, Tucson tion, said recently that uranium is leaving competitive in the United States. and Rapid City identified 10,528 mineral the penny stock era, that the speculative samples last fiscal year. The Denver lab- frenzy is about over and Wall Street is now Some uranium operators believe uranium some day may reach a stage second only oratory will accept samples from the bu- ready to "talk business." The Times said reau's Rocky Mountain region, including discoveries have shown a big source of the to the oil and gas industry in the economy ore exists and it added that a big demand of an uranium-rich state such as New Mex- Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, New for uranium far into the future is consid- ico. Mexico, Nebraska, North Dakota and South ered assured. Dakota. To obtain fast identification of Indicative of the increasing interest of samples, the bureau advises sending them The Wall Street Journal commented on the larger financial houses and mining op- to the nearest identification laboratory. President Eisenhower's proposal to release erators in the future of uranium is the list Mineral samples should weigh at least one 88,000 pounds of uranium worth one bil- of some of the concerns now interested in pound and should be carefully wrapped in lion dollars for industrial use in this coun- New Mexico uranium companies. They in- a strong container with return address on try and abroad. That business publication clude the Atlas Corps, Anaconda Co., Hay- the package. The exact location where the expressed belief that nuclear companies are stack Development, a wholly owned sub- sample was picked up should be stated and sidiary of Santa Fe Railway, J. H. Whitney the parcel mailed to: Superintendent, Den- Co., White-Weld Co., the San Jacinto Oil ver Experiment Station, U. S. Bureau of Co., Kerr-McGee, Tidewater Oil and Ameri- Mines, Bldg. 20, Denver Federal Center, United States Releases can Metals.—New Mexican Denver, Colorado.—Ploche Record Billion in Uranium The United States has released a billion dollars worth of uranium for peaceful uses at home and abroad. President Eisenhower announced that 40,000 kilograms (more than 40 tons) of uranium-235 will be dis- tributed for atomic reactors and research. Prospectors' Headquarters The uranium will be made available in a form not easily convertible to military use. GEIGER COUNTERS AND SCINTILLATORS Half of the 40,000 kilograms will be set Tho "Snooper" Getger counter—mode! 108 % 29.95 aside for leasing in the United States and The "I/ucky Strike" Gciger counter—Model 106C 99,50 the rest will be leased or sold abroad. The The "Professional" Goiter Counter—Model 107C 149.50 President said prudent safeguards will be Tho "Special Scintillator"—Model 117.. 299.50 taken to make sure the uranium is used for Tho "Deluxe" Scintillator—Model 11 IB 495.00 peaceful purposes. ULTRA-VIOLET MINERALIGHTS The uranium will be made available to Model XH—Operates on 110 AC only - - 14.75 all nations except Russia and its satellites Model M12—Operates on batteries only—with battery 40.(15 and nations like Great Britain that are Model SL-2537—Operates on batteries or 310 AC—without case and batteries 39.50 With No. 303 ease and batteries 61.00 already producing it. With No. 404 case and batteries 66.00 The action came three weeks after a civilian advisory committee, headed by Rob- BOOKS ert McKinney of Santa Fe, urgently recom- "Prospecting with a Geiger Counter" by Wright— BO mended that the AEC free materials for "Uranium Color Photo Tone" 1.00 private development of peaceful atomic "Uranium Prospectors Hand Book" 1.00 projects. "The Uranium and Fluorescent Minerals" by H. C. Dake-. 2.00 "Popular Prospecting" by H. C. Dake.. 2.00 "Uranium, Where It Is and How to Find It" by Proctor and Hyatt 2.50 "Minerals for Atomic Energy" by Nininger 7.50 "Let's Go Prospecting" by Edward Arthur 3.50 $35 000 MAPS Map and Geology (Uranium and Mineral Districts of California) 1.50 0 REWARD Map of Kern County (New Section and Township) 1.50 Map Uranium and Minerals (The Nine Southwest States) - 1.00 FOR Book and Map "Gems and Minerals of California" by McAllister 1.75 URANIUM Book and Map "Lost Mines and Treasures of the Southwest" 2.00 OTHER SUPPLIES Mineral Hardness Test Set 2.00 Here's your chance to "cosh in!" Over $2,500,000 Badiassay—Uranium Test Kit 14.95 in Government Bonuses hove been paid for Mercury—Detector Fluorescent Screen - 6.75 URANIUM discoveries in the past 2 years. Currently Scheelite Fluorescent Analyzer , 6.00 $150,000 a month is paid to people just like you. Fluorescent Mineral Set—10 Specimens—boxed 2.50 Precision Geiger Counters and Scintillators are Mineral Specimen Boxes (35 named Minerals) 1.50 the finest instruments made for URANIUM prospect- Prospectors Picks (not polished) 3.95 ing. These highly sensitive instruments are compact, Prospectors Picks (polished) 4.25 lightweight and ruggedly built for field use. Prices 12" Diameter Steel Gold Pan 1.25 start at $29.95. 18" Diameter Steel Gold Pan 1.70 CONTACT YOUR NEAREST DEALER or write direct to factory for All prices F.O.B. Los Angeles FREE 12-PAGE CATALOG, de- Add 4% Sales Tax if you live in California scribing URANIUM and Metal detectors. Member of American Gem & Mineral Suppliers Association PROSPECTORS K) RELY ON . . .( 0 RECISION RADIATION INSTRUMENTS, INC. ALLEN LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT COMPANY 4223 W. Jefferson Boulevard • Los Angeles 16, California 3632 West Slauson Ave., Dept. D Open Monday evening until 9:00 Los Angeles, Calif. WORLD'S LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF RADIATION INSTRUMENTS Please write to Department BS

MAY, 1956 37 Government Spends Millions tion of $15,469,122 by prospectors. The New Utah Mill Has No To Grubstake Prospectors government actually has spent about $15,- Penalty on High Lime 000,000 so far. A report by the Federal Defense Min- DMEA has approved 360 of about 3000 A processing mill, said to be the first to erals Exploration Administration shows the prospecting contracts proposed by miners. be constructed in the United States with no government has executed contracts in recent penalty on high lime ore, is being com- years for participation in a prospecting pro- Some federal money will be returned to pleted at Mineral Canyon, Utah, by Uni- gram estimated to cost $40,058,862. the treasury through royalties from produc- versal Uranium and Milling Corporation. The government and prospectors are tion, and DMEA estimates that nearly $50,- Earl Smith, Moab assayer, is credited with jointly financing the hunt for defense min- 000,000 worth of potential new resources developing a process for extracting uranium erals under contracts calling for federal will result from each million invested by from high lime ores without a penalty to participation of $24,589,540 and contribu- the government.—Phoenix Gazette the producer. The mill is also said to be the first to be constructed at site of the ore deposit. Universal Uranium and Milling Corp. has 915 potential uranium claims in Mineral Canyon, and uranium and rare earth prop- NOW IS THE TIME erties in Northern Arizona.—Pioche Record to trade in your present instrument or equipment on the LONG RANGER B. V. MODEL Interest in the uranium strike in the Rund- EZ terms on the balance berg mine, being developed by Apex Ura- nium, Inc., was further stimulated when Crosscut No. 1 reached the same vein pre- Customei s tei its this instrument is inn eh more sensitive when only using one viously located in Adit No. 1, thus defining tube than Scintillation Counters are, and instruments using iip to 30 tubes. a considerable body of ore. A sample from You may com)tare these Long Kan sfers with anything eisc made regardless of the the face of the heading, consisting of cof- price. fenite ore associated with hematite, returned Send I'oi the big FREE photo a nd literat ure on th s remarkable instrument. an assay of 8.77 percent uranium, with a value of $1480 per ton. No attempt has yet • Circuit control switch so that any broken or defective tube may be been made to determine h >w deep the vein switched out of the circuit without extends below the level of the tunnel. — interfering with your prospecting! Reese River Reveille ;;; • Three speaker ranges of sensitivity! Look at W • Four meter movement speeds! f m Powerful super sensitive built in speaker! Proven deposits of upwards of a million What You e Fifteen ranges of meter sensitivity! o Will delect float as well as deep tons of good grade uranium ore in McKin- f nt in AM ^ ' ::11(l distant deposits. ley County, New Mexico, were revealed 1161 III 311 AJalL © !i>th «»»*'*• illHl lo"£ ranffe tubes recently as a corollary to the out-of-court in an are used. Detects Alpha, Beta, and settlement of a claim-jumping suit between Gamma rays. • Directional to indicate the direc- United Western Minerals Co. of Santa Fe tion of the deposit yet will detect and Kermac, an affiliate of Kerr-McGee Oil Oremaster radiation from all directions. Industries, Inc., of Oklahoma City. The • Built in separate battery testing voltmeter so batteries may be property in question is immediately adjacent tested while the instrument is to the recently announced rich deposits of working. Pinyon Uranium and Sabre Uranium com- • Can be used in plane, car, horse- panies.—New Mexican back, boat, or on foot-. • Built in flashlight for checking tunnels, shafts, and for emergency light at night. OIL-ORB switch. Vitro Corporation of America reported Designed for detecting oil, uranium, and all of the radioactive and valuable Rare Earth net income of $437,856 for 1955 compared minerals. Bib 41/2" super sensitive high quality built in microameter. with $271,758 for the previous year. With Big 4Vz" external plug in meter for steering post of car or instrument panel of plane. one exception, engineering, each division Zero control to zero out all background count in high background areas and over granite of the corporation turned in a profit last formations. Sensitivity control switch to use 1, 2, or 3 tubes, depending upon the amount of sensitivity year.—Salt Lake Tribune and range desired. N'o calibrated samples needed. Metal, perforated speaker cover all waterproof. Built in preamplifier that will operate on a 1000 foot cable, for drill hole testing. Preamplifier control for using any length of cable for drill hole testing from 50 to 1000 feet. TRUE OR FALSE ANSWERS Automatic voltage regulation. Questions are on page 34 Tropicalized. Used in Laboratories, schools, colleges, by geologists, engineers, chemists, etc. 1—True. Fully guaranteed i'or one year, except batteries and tubes. Liberal trade ins on your present equipment. 2—False. There are white ocotillo Generous discounts to mining companies. : ; blossoms, although very rare. Easy terms available, NO INTEREST CHARGED. ^^^Ajj||^|^ ':;:. ••:•_•: ;. 3—False. The four states are Colo- Gold nuggets, placer pockets and veins, have also rado, Utah, Arizona and New been detected by OREMASTERS, as well as Copper, Silver, Mexico. Cobalt, Tungsten, Load, etc. Due to the weakly Radio Active isotopes, that so frequently are found with these 4—False. Stalactites hang from the minerals, and the ability of OREMASTERS, to detect walls and ceiling, stalagmites pro- these isotopes and the various rays they are emanating. trude from the floor. 5—False. Elephant Butte dam is in PRICE $545.00 the Rio Grande. Prepaid and Insured to You 6—False. Most of the Indians now use "trading post" dye. Order from your dealers or write to— 7—True. 8—True. 9—False. Lieut. Beale led the first WHITE'S ELECTRONICS camel train westward. 10—True. 11—True. 1218 MAIN ST. 12—False. Jerome's production was SWEET HOME, OREGON mostly copper. 13—False. Calcite is too soft to make OREMASTER OWNERS PLEASE NOTICE good arrow points. The OIL-ORE control circuit can he installed in your present instrument for S25.00 14—True. 15_True. and prepaid back to you. 16—False. Stony meteorites seldom The OREMASTER Super Sensitive preamplifier can be installed in your present ORE- MASTER for $50.00 so that you may use a deep well probe with cable length up to 1000 have metallic content. feet. Probe and cablis are extra. 17—True. 18—True. 19—True. 20—False. The seeds of the Juniper OREM ASTERS DO NOT BECOME OBSOLETE! occur in berry-like capsules.

38 DESERT MAGAZINE $12,000 Bonus Offered for NON-SLIP CLEATS FOR Pueblo Prospecting Permit WADING IN WATER COURSES Light bidding prevailed at the United Pueblos sale of uranium prospecting per- New and Improved CMG Industries, Box 611-DM, Lar- mits on Indian tribal lands. The top bid amie, Wyoming, has developed a safety was $12,000 bonus on Jemez Pueblo land. device called "Leech-Kleet" which At the last sale, held in 1954, a bonus of $101,000 was paid for prospecting rights Products for strap on waders and boots for wading on the Acoma reservation. on mossy rocks, slime and fast water. N. B. Hunt of Dallas, Texas, bid $12,000 Desert Living Sure-footedness is guaranteed with the for a permit on 21,270 acres of Jemez land. Leech-Kleets and anyone who slips on The land involved is all in Sandoval County, New Mexico.—Grants Beacon a wet rock while using them will get their money back, the manufacturer DATES FOR INTERNATIONAL states. The light, flexible Leech Kleets SKETCHING TOUR ANNOUNCED The AEC may conduct an investigation were invented by Leland Nelson, and into the death of cattle, birds and predators The Cloudcroft, New Mexico, Art sell for $7.95 a pair. on the east slope of Hart Mountain Antelope Colony has announced dates for its Refuge during a snow storm last May. In the course of only a few hours a great many annual International Sketching Tour, animals were killed. The snowstorm was a 13-day sketching trip through New centered over the Warner Valley and Hart Mexico, Texas and Mexico. This Mountain with the resulting storm damage on the east slope confined to a small area. year's tour will begin on June 25 and The theory that atomic radiation fallout end July 7. The $199 fee includes ho- was responsible for the deaths has been ad- tel accommodations, meals, transporta- vanced locally.—A lamogordo Daily News tion and art instruction. The tour itinerary includes Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands National Monument, Fort Vanura Uranium, Inc., disclosed a 10-ton Davis, mountain country, Big Bend ore shipment has been made from its Crown National Park, El Paso, Juarez and Prince mine on Martin Mesa, Montrose County, Colorado. This ore assayed 1.24 Chihuahua. percent uranium oxide. The assay sheet on the load also showed 3.66 percent vanadium For information on the sketching content. Ore of that grade will bring about tour as well as other Cloudcroft activi- $141 per ton. The Crown Prince and nine ties, write La Vora Norman, director, other claims on Martin Mesa are leased by If you're prospecting Vanura from Lakeside Monarch Mining Co. Cloudcroft Art Colony, Cloudcroft, —Dove Creek Press New Mexico. for anything

... you

need an OUTSTANDING FEATURES mw Ultra-Violet: battery test switch (deluxe model) headphones with clear signal Held Model Mineralight M-12, $3975 great sensitivity low cost operation Discovers valuable minerals other one knob control methods miss completely! Right the easiest of all metal detectors to operate along with your pick, map and Model 27 Metal Detector hiking boots, MINERALIGHT is MORE ACCURATE—It's the first Metal Detector designed specifically for standard equipment for all pros- detecting placer gold, nuggets, and other small metal objects. Price com- pecting. It doesn't overlook a plete ready to use— thing! Most successful finds of re- MODEL 27, with phones, batteries and instructions $ 98.50 cent years have been aided by MODEL 27, same as above plus meter—deluxe model $110.00 Mineralight's powerful short wave SEND FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ultra-violet beam which fluoresces V-43 MINERALIGHT—Ideal for field use in prospecting, mine sorting, etc. 1000's of minerals and ores. Spots Has 6 bar quartz tube, thumb tip switch $ 77.50 outcroppings, follows to main de- V-43 Battery $3.75 • Other Models from $39.75 up posit. Literature available on all models TUNGSTEN PROSPECTORS—No more costly assaying. Scheelite fluores- See Your MINERALIGHT Dealer cence analyzer now available, priced $ 6.00 ... for demonstration of this inval- uable extra pair of eyes and for COLLECTORS information on "Fluorescence — Do you have a specimen of Native Silver from Honduras, S.A. $1.00-$40.00 Smithsonite from Kelly Mine, New Mexico $1.00-$15.00 the Fun Hobby with a Future." Beautiful Wulfenite, (new find) Glove Mine, Amado, Arizona... $2.00-$50.00 Ultra-violet will open a new world of glowing minerals, help find val- No mail orders on specimens please uable strategic ores, profitable col- Bank Terms Arranged on Approved Credit in California lectors' specimens. Get latest pros- dom.h.ton J\oak pecting data and help on complete / equipment. Telephone Ne-Mark 2-9096 — 4 blocks south of Olive Mail coupon for name of A Open Tuesday Evening 'til 10:00 p.m. your Mineralight Dealer ^Sk 1409 S. LONG BEACH BLVD. COMPTON, CALIFORNIA ULTRA-VIOLET PRODUCTS, INC.

MAY, 1956 39 GRINDING WHEELS SOFTEN WHEN ALLOWED TO SOAK Although there are few known cases of GEMS and MHIRAIS grinding wheels breaking when first turned on, it is always safe to let the wheel run a full minute before stepping in front of it. Allowing wheels to stand in water or fail- 50,000 ACTIVE ROCKHOUNDS, posit certainly are increased," said one bur- ing to let a wheel spin itself dry after a job eau engineer. The bureau spokesman re- is completed softens the wheel and causes MINE BUREAU ESTIMATES called that a few years ago a rockhound it to break or wear. found a massive jade boulder in California The Bureau of Mines reported that an which, after cutting, was estimated to be Grinding rough, jagged stones on the cen- estimated 50,000 men, women and children worth about $25,000. — Barstow Printer- ter of the wheel will cause it to warp. As picked up gem stones in the United States Review the wheel diameter is decreased through last year with an estimated value of more usage, adjustments in motor speeds must be than $500,000. made or the wheel will wear out faster than The bureau said it encourages the rock BAROQUE CAPS ELIMINATED it normally would. — Santa Clara Valley, hunting, which it figures is the foundation California, Gem and Mineral Society's of a hobby that is resulting in a rapid in- BY DRILLING IN SCREW EYES Breccia crease in amateur gem stone cutting. Weary of cementing mounting caps on • • • The weekend treasure hunts sooner or baroque gems and of the opinion that a NATURE PRODUCES FEW later may lead to a find of an important large cap detracts from the beauty of such strategic mineral, such as manganese or gems, E. J. Mueller of the El Paso, Texas, FLAW-FREE EMERALDS nickle, the bureau added. Mineral and Gem Society, has been drilling Very few emerald crystals are found which "With thousands of people out looking, polished apache tears, amethyst and agate are free enough of flaws to be suitable for the chances of uncovering a significant de- baroques and, using a method which he has gem stone cutting. Often the crystals when devised, inserts tiny screw eyes in the holes mined are coated with talc, but the hexag- thus made. onal prism faces are apparent. Using a shallow metal tray with the edges The opacity of emerald crystals may be item. DIAMOND BLADES turned up about one-quarter to three-eights traced to microscopical inclusions of dolo- of an inch (depending on the size of the mite, talc, rutile, liquids and gasses, the Heavy-Duty Super Stanfl. baroques) a heavy mixture of water and latter giving the appearance of "air bub- Sup.-Chgd. Ohgd. molding plaster is poured into the tray and bles." These inclusions point to talc-schist 6" $ chga. $ 7.98 leveled to the sides. In this plaster mix im- $ 9.03 10.44 as the probable emerald matrix and the gem 11.50 14.02 mediately after pouring are placed at least is deposited by pneumatolitic action, accord- 15.23 18.53 10 of the gems to be drilled, in the exact ing to Victor Leinz.—The Mineralogist 22.26 25.67 position where the screw eye is to be placed. 29.40 29.08 65.60 32.76 36.12 These gems are pushed down into the soft 77.95 43.20 39.84 plaster about half their lengths and the 93.24 51.97 51.40 plaster is allowed to harden. ROCKHOUND FINDS DIAMOND 149.62 65.73 226.00 125.73 188.05 In the drilling process, using any small VALUED AT $15,000 State Arbor Size drill press, a diamond drill of the proper A Texas tourist found a 15 Vi carat dia- Sales Tax in California size is placed in the chuck, a small dam of mond recently at the Crater of Diamonds Allow for Postage and Insurance putty is formed on top of the baroque and near Murfreesboro, Arkansas, the only dia- Covlngton Ball Bearing Grinder a mixture of turpentine, light oil and 220 mond mine in North America. The esti- grit silicon carbide is placed therein, and and shields are mated value of the stone is $15,000. Ac- the drilling is started. Light pressure and cording to the rules of the mine, Mrs. A. L. furnished in 3 frequent lifting of the drilling is recom- sizes and price Parker of Dallas will be permitted to keep mended. The drill speed should be between all but 25 percent of the appraised valuation ranges to suit 1750 to 2000 rpm. Rather than damage the your require- of the diamond. Tourists are permitted to diamond drill, the silicon carbide grains roam the mine, which is not being worked, ments. Water seem to speed up the process and keep the and grit proof. to search for surface diamonds. They can bort of the drill clean and able to penetrate keep any they find that are five carats or COVINGTON 8" TRIM SAW the stone more quickly. less. Larger diamonds must be shared with To set the screw eyes in the gems, Mueller the management. The stone found by Mrs. and motor are com- dips two tiny slivers of wood in glyptal Parker is one and five-eighths inches long, IH^ pact and do not cement and inserts them in the holes. After about five-eighths inch wide and about one- ®®®^ splash. Save blades placing some of the same cement on the quarter of an inch thick. Mrs. Parker paid and clothing with screw eye he turns it into place until tight. $1.50 for the right to hunt diamonds. — this saw. —El Paso, Texas, Rockhounds' The Voice Salt Lake Tribune BUILD YOUR OWN LAP and SAVE with a COV- INGTON 12" or 16" Lap Kit. We furnish every- thing you need. Send for new Iree lapidary catalog. fyoccve 'Seat JLoa&wtty 'pwtf Petrified Wood, Moss Agate, Chrysocolla COVINGTON Multi-Feature Turquoise, Jade and Jasper Jewelry 16" Lapidary Unit Does HAND MADE IN STERLING SILVER everything Bracelets, Rings, Necklaces, Earrings COVINGTON and Brooches 12", 14" ^ or 16" W SPECIALLY SELECTED STONES WITH Power Feed CHOICE COLORS AND PICTURES Diamond Slab Saws Write for Folder With Prices SAVE BLADES USED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT ELLIOTT'S GEM SHOP Send for New Catalog, IT'S FREE 235 East Seaside Blvd. Long Beach 2, California DEALERS WANTED Across from West End of Municipal Auditorium Grounds Covinqton Lapidary Eng. Hours 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Daily Except Monday REDLANDS D, CALIFORNIA

DESERT MAGAZINE SOONER EDITOR EXPERIMENTS ously rubbing each specimen for 50 seconds show well this interesting property. Most on either the wool or silk, or both. When gems must be polished in order to exhibit WITH GEM PYROELECTRICS the specimen, after being rubbed, picked up positive frictional electricity; diamond is practically the only exception and is positive Oklahoma City, Oklahoma the bits of paper, ashes and lint offered, I whether rough or cut." Desert: termed it positive. Here are the results of I might add that it is well known among On page 40 of the January, 1956, issue my experimentation: jewelers that tourmaline is so strongly pyro- of Desert Magazine, you described a method The following stones showed positive-—• electric that when the cut stones are dis- for distinguishing between quartz and topaz, Clear Topaz, Nigeria; Blue Topaz, Mason played in a window or display case near as quoted from The Lap Bulletin of the San County, Texas; "Peach" color Topaz, Utah; enough to an electric bulb to be warmed Jose, California, Lapidary Society. This Clear Quartz, Arkansas; Smoky Quartz, by it, they attract an amazing amount of article says that topaz will, when rubbed, Oklahoma; "Herkimer Diamond" Quartz, dust, becoming completely coated if left pick up small bits of paper and infers that New York; Smoky Quartz xl, Colorado; for any length of time. This has caused quartz will not do so. Smoky Quartz xl, Utah; Smoky Quartz xl, many jewelers to refer to tourmaline as the This news made me wonder whether J Switzerland; Citrine Quartz, Brazil; Glass dirty stone. was learning something and caused me to stirring rod; Celestite xl, Texas; Tourmaline DOMER L. HOWARD, Editor scurry for a handful of assorted crystals. I The Sooner Rockologist found that no amount of rubbing with my xl, Brazil; Apatite xl, Mexico; Precious Opal, hand seemed to have any effect on a topaz Australia; Selenite xl, Oklahoma; Calcite, crystal. I knew that what the author re- Iceland Spar; Fluorite, Illinois; Synthetic ferred to was the phenomena known as a Corundum; Sealing Wax. pyroelectric charge, that is, the develop- These two stones had negative results— ment upon the crystal of enough static Montana Moss Agate; Spodumene, Califor- electricity to enable it to pick up small bits nia. of paper, lint, straws, cigarette ashes, etc. On page 62 of Popular Gemology, Richard Any text book on physics will reveal that Pearl says: "The ability of amber after there are a great variety of substances which, being rubbed to attract light fragments of when rubbed together, will produce this ef- material was noticed as early as 600 B.C. fect. So I dug out an old army wool shirt Other gems also develop enough static elec- and a silk handkerchief and proceeded to tricity by friction to catch small bits of experiment. paper. Diamond, tourmaline and topaz I followed a uniform procedure, vigor-

HOME STUDY COURSE 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8- OFFERED TO ROCKHOUNDS Rockhounds interested in a home course on mineralogy should write to the Mineral Science Institute, 159 East Ontario Street, 9th flUI Chicago 14, Illinois, for its booklet describ- GLENDALE LAPIDARY & GEM SOCIETY ing the course. The 16 lessons in the course include Na- ture's building blocks, the elements; Na- Gem and HtH SHOW ture's building blocks, compounds; Nature of the earth crust; General properties of GLENDALE CIVIC AUDITORIUM minerals and rocks; Broad classification of HILLQUIST minerals; Important minerals and rocks; 1401 VERDUGO ROAD Identification of common and typical min- GLENDALE 1, CALIFORNIA erals; Identification of common and typical • Put.the Hillquist Gemmaster beside any lapidary rocks; The non-metallic minerals; The machine — cheaper, flimsy "gadgets" or units that metallic minerals; Random prospecting; Spe- SATURDAY, MAY 19-9 a.m. to 9 p.m. sell at twice the price. Compare construction! Com- pare ease of operation! Compare how much you cial prospecting; Uranium and Radioactive SUNDAY, MAY 20-9 a.m. to 6 p.m. get for your money and you'll say, "I'll take the metals; Procurement, mining and recovery; Gemmaster!" Production, metallurgy and marketing; Legal aspects of prospecting and mining. SPECIAL DISPLAYS Here is a worthy companion for our larger and more expensive Hillquist Compact Lapidary Unit. • GOLD • MUSEUM SIZE SPECIMENS Tho smaller in size, the Hillquist Gemmaster has • IRIS AGATE • FIGURINES CARVED many of the same features. It's all-metal with spun The discovery of an aquamarine weigh- FROM PRECIOUS STONES aluminum tub. You get a rugged, double-action rock clamp, not a puny little pebble pincher. You get a ing 134Vi pounds was reported in the min- full 3" babbitt sleeve bearing and ball thrust bear- ing town of Valladares, Brazil. It is de- BE SURE TO COME TO ONE OF ing. You get a big 7" Super Speed diamond saw scribed as the world's largest aquamarine and all the equipment you need to go right to work. stone and was estimated to be valued at THE BEST IN THE WEST USES ALL ACCESSORIES $400,000. A stampede of rock hunters to FREE ADMISSION — FREE PARKING the area is reported.—Seattle, Washington, You can use all the regular Hillquist accessories with the Gemmaster: The Hillquist Facetor, Sphere Gem Collectors' Club's Nuts and Nodules Cutters, Laps, Drum and Disc Sanders, etc. WRITE FOR FREE CATALOG

THE FRESNO GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY PRESENTS THE 17th ANNUAL CONVENTION & SHOW

of the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies BIG 7" Diamond Saw • 6" x 1" Gn Wheel • 6" Felt Buff • 6" Backing Wheel 6" Disc Sander • Double-action Rock | Clamp • Oil Feed Cup • Water Feed JUNE 22, 23 AND 24, 1956 Hose & Clamp • Dop Sticks & Dop Wax* | Polish, Compound, Etc. New and exciting special exhibits . . . club displays . . . educational BUILT FOR LONG SERVICE! exhibits and lectures . . . movies . . . many dealer displays. Plan to No other low-cost lap unit gives you full 3" sleeve attend! bearing, ball thrust bearing and pressure lubrication. Armory Building Fresno District Fairgrounds / OA FRESNO, CALIFORNIA

MAY, 1956 41 McSHAN'S GEM SHOP—open 5 to 9 p.m. except Mondays and Thursdays. Rocks, ADVERT SING RATE gems, cholla cactus wood. Mile west on GEHI fllRRT 12c a word . . Minimum $2.00 U.S. 66, Needles, California, Box 22. COLLECTORS ATTENTION! A dollar deposit brings you a brilliant approval selection of assorted polished choice cab- SPECIMENS, FACETING material. Slabs. COLORADO MINERAL specimens, cut- inet sized agates. Pay for what you keep. Huge stock fire opal, H. A. Ivers, 1400 ting and tumbling materials. Send 2 cent Rare Priday Plume and Moss Nodules North Hacienda Blvd., La Habra Heights, stamp for list and terms. Dealers please from the old beds of 30 years ago, $3 California. write for wholesale list. John Patrick, per lb. in mixed lots of 5, 10 and 20 lbs. Idaho Springs, Colorado. plus postage. Helena Jones, 15420 South- ROCKS—opposite West End Air Base, ag- east Division, Portland 66, Oregon. ate, woods, minerals, books, local infor- NOTICE—MINERALS of all types wanted mation. Ironwood Bock Shop, Highway for retail store. Would like to buy genu- BEAUTIFUL ASSORTMENT of uranium, 60-70 West of Blythe, California. ine Indian artifacts also. Robert E. Fra- cinnabar in opalite, wonder rock, purple zee, Box 316, Valley Center, Kansas. bottles, onyx, copper, galena, clear quartz GENUINE TURQUOISE: Natural color, crystals, silver and gold specimens. 50 blue and bluish green, cut and polished VISIT GOLD Pan Rock Shop. Beautiful pound lots 35c per lb. These specimens cabochons — 25 carats (5 to 10 stones sphere material, gems, mineral specimens, are good tumbling material, plus collec- according to size) S3.50 including tax, choice crystals, gem materials, jewelry, tors' rocks. Wisdom-Mani, Dyer, Nevada. postpaid in U.S.A. Package 50 carats (10 baroques, etc. Over 100 tons of material to 20 cabochons) $6.15 including tax, to select from. John and Etta James, FREE URANIUM sample with each giz- postpaid in U.S.A. Elliott Gem & Mineral proprietors. 2020 N. Carson Street, Car- zard stone ordered. $1, $2 or $3 size. Shop, 235 E. Seaside Blvd., Long Beach son City, Nevada. Postpaid. List on other rocks and min- 2, California. erals. Lugene Rock Shop, Ragged Moun- CALIFORNIA BAROQUES—Guaranteed: tain, Colorado. FOR SALE: Beautiful purple petrified wood finest quality, super polish, large variety, with uranium, pyrolusite, manganite. Nice prompt service or refund. Only $8 pound. NOTICE—Send for an assorted approval sample $1.00. Postage. Maggie Baker, Dealers write for wholesale prices. Stan- selection of beautiful agate, etc. Robert Kingman, Arizona. ley & Livingston—3757 Pontiac Street, E. Frazee, Box 316 Valley Center, Kans. La Crescenta, California. HAVE REAL FUN with desert gems, BEAUTIFUL FREE gold—Specimens $1.00 minerals and rocks, The rockhound's FOR SALE—10-inch Frantom Saw com- each. Return if not satisfied. Prices to how-to-do-it magazine tells how. One plete. Approximately 1000 lbs. Oregon dealers, J. N. Reed, Box 102, Cabazon, year (12 issues) only $3.00. Sample 25c. Jasper in various colors. Clear, banded California. Gems and Minerals, Dept. J10, Palmdale, and moss agate. Many others. Over 100 TUMBLED AGATE, Montana, Old Mexico, California. cabochons, various sizes, polished. Two show cases. $400 takes all. Foltz, 11615 jasper, wood, mixed $4 lb. Slab material GEMS A-PLENTY: Beautiful baroque gems, Long Beach Blvd., Lynwood, California. of all kinds. Satisfaction guaranteed. large variety, tumble polished all over, Sherman McCarten, 328 W. 9th Place N., Mesa, Arizona. $10.00 for one pound (about 100 stones). U. S. GEM Quality Desert Roses (chalce- 10 lbs. of top grade gemstone prepaid for dony) V>," to 2"—cabinet specimens or SAVE BATTERY costs! Run mineral light $7.00. Wholesale price to dealers on ba- cutting material. All beautiful—no "duds" from your car cigar lighter socket. Only roque gems and gemstone in the rough. —at $2 per lb. (state size), 3 lbs. $5.00, $12.50 postpaid. Also operates your elec- Satisfaction guaranteed on every sale. postage, please. C. Earl Napier, 20472 tric shaver. Glowspar Company, Box San Fernando Valley Gem Co., 5905 Harvard Ave., Hayward, California. Kester Ave., Van Nuys, California. 8721, Los Angeles 8, California. CRYSTAL CAVERN novelties—Jewelry- WANTED YOUNG or middle aged man, SPECIAL ON baroques mixed variety all natural quartz crystals, silver mounted, woman or couple, to live in and operate polished $3.95 lb. 5 lbs. lot $18.75 slabs sold at Sinnock's Furniture Store, East Gem Shop. P. O. Box 122, Palm Desert, and stones in the rough. Dixie Rock Blythe; and at North Palms Cafe, Cali- California. Shop, 502 W. Valley Blvd., San Gabriel, fornia (3 miles west of Desert Center), California. also Rock House 4 miles further west. 15 CLASSIFIED TEXAS fossils, $2; 50 classified Texas fossils, $7.50; 5 Enchi- noidea, $2; Fossil sharks teeth, 25c each. Everything in fossils. Write your wants. 20 classified Texas minerals, some crystal SAWS! GRINDS'.] forms, $2.50; 14 minerals all crystal ^SANDS'. BUFFS! 12" bench model, $72 forms, $7.50. Leather mounted long- Everything in-I 16" floor model, $110 eluded except I 20" floor model, $155 horns. Write or visit, Pioneer Museum, motor. Uses all! Real rockhounds saws Burnet, Texas. Hillquist awes-1 favored for their big sories.ldealforl capacity and lifetime GEMS OF THE desert, tumbled polished HILLQUIST DIAMOND SAWS construction. "Magic- beginners. Only I I Cut Faster—Last Longer—Cost Brain" automatic feed ' baroques, Mexican lace and carnelian $42.50 complete. | I Less. Available in all sizes. for above $46,35 agate, Death Valley jasper agate, rose HILLQUIST TRIM SAW I You'll swear by 'em, not at 'em! quartz, petrified wood palm, black fig, The "Cadillac" of trim saws. Exclu- many others. General mixture, $6 pound. sive "up-and-down" Before you buy any lapidary! Mexican agate slices and various cuff link bor. "No-splash" preforms. Slabs and findings. Earring plastic guards. equipment-send for our big' size tumbled turquoise $8 pound, larger Precision rock clamp and guide. size $1 ounce. Price list. Golden West Gem Complete with 8" FREE CATALOG! Co., 7355 Lankershim Blvd., North Hol- blade, $42.50 lywood, California. FULL OF HELPFUL LAPIDARY HILLQUIST GEM DRILL-HOLE SAW 'NFORMAT.ON-SendNOWTo ffiSQSsSSii FOR SALE—Rock Shop on Million Dollar • Drills finest holes .HILLQUIST DRUM SANDER' Highway two miles north of Durango. lot high - LAPIDARY EQUIP. CO. I The most popular drum I speed and saws 1545 W. 49 St. SEATTLE 7, WN. I sander made. Patented . Living quarters, hundred foot parking. I discs up to Vh". "quick-lock' screw make W. H. Crocker, 1403 Third, Durango, I Exclusive ramrod I it easy to change sanding Colorado. • action prevents I cloth. 3"x7"-$9,50 • core plugging. I Fully automatic. ..,,n.•.•,,._•HILLQUIST COMPAC. ..I,,.....T — LA -,.. P UNIT I Bigger than the Gem-Master. Handli California Federation Past President Dor- HILLQUIST COMPLETE FACETER I up to a 10" saw. Saws, grinds, * othy Craig recently installed the following Only $62.50 complete with 31 fllJ&JHflilJlUiEl • sands, polishes, laps, facets, - new officers of the Whittier, Califdrnia, \ index plates. You can cut any I .ti Quiet! Takes • cuts spheres —does every ' Gem and Mineral Society: Donna Patrick, faceted form quickly and I I Big! viabl'aluablee for pro-• thing and does it better. president; Sol Stern, first vice president; easily. The equal I I2"xl2"«h.el ; ™ wontinnting fast,|Thouands in use. Harold Jackson, second vice president; Lois of faceters I (essionals or a TTArtoboronly$53.50r nly$53.y 5 M| Everythin / g inclincludedu ^ Stone, secretary; Gertrude Bowcutt, treas- costing twice I I smooth grind' except motor the price.! •Other urer; Gene Golson, Homer Wright and Ken at $122,50 Tharp, directors. 42 DESERT MAGAZINE Plans are being made for the Paradise, The outstanding jade collections of the California, Gem and Mineral Club's annual Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Gem and Mineral Show, scheduled for June Institute of Arts will be shown at the Na- Show Notes... 30 and July 1. tional Gem and Mineral Show of the Ameri- • • • can Federation of Mineralogical Societies at NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CLUBS Members of the Prineville, Oregon, Min- the Home Activities Building, Minnesota ANNOUNCE MAY SHOW DATES eral Society announced July 7-8 dates for State Fair Grounds, St. Paul, Minnesota. their annual show. Dale Hammersley of Four Northern California societies are The show will be held July 12 to 15. An- planning shows for May. The Gem and Ochoco Highway, Prineville, is general chair- Mineral Society of San Mateo County will man of the event. other outstanding feature of the show will hold its show on May 12-13 at the County be the gem mozaic completed by Joe Phet- Fair Grounds, 25th and Pacific Blvd., San teplace. The mozaic is a picture of a race Mateo. The same dates have been chosen September 15-16 are the dates for the horse of about 1000 pieces of gem material by the Benicia Rock and Gem Club for its Antioch, California, Lapidary Club Hobby fourth annual show. It will take place at Show. It will take place in the main build- including jade, malachite, tiger eye and Veteran's Memorial Building, 1130 First ing of the Antioch Fair. datolite. Street, Benicia. The show will be non-com- petitive and without dealer exhibits. On May 20, the Mother Lode Society is 1 planning its Annual Swap Day at the Ameri- On or about July 1st, 1956, we will publish our can Legion Park in Modesto. On the 26th and 27th the East Bay Mineral Society will 25th SILVER ANNIVERSARY EDITION of hold its show at the Foothill Masonic Tem- ple, 6670 Foothill Blvd., Oakland. GRIEGER'S ENCYCLOPEDIA AND SUPERCATA - The California Federation of Mineralogi- cal Societies' 17th Annual Convention and LOG OF THE LAPIDARY AND JEWELRY ARTS Show is slated for June 22-24 at the National Guard Armory, Fresno Fairgrounds, Fresno, YES, WE HAVE GIVEN THE ORDER TO OUR PRINTERS FOR California. THE PAPER TO PRINT THIS HUGE VOLUME. Do you know that • • s T WILL TAKE 5 TONS OF PAPER to print the 10,000 copies required The Tourmaline Gem and Mineral So- ciety of La Mesa, California, is planning a and that this is equal to MORE THAN A CARLOAD. This will be a gem and mineral show for May 5 and 6 at BOOK OF OVER 180 PAGES (81/*" x II") and will contain THE the Grossmont High School. Recently elected officers of the club are John Bogan, MOST PRACTICAL INFORMATION for the JEWELRY CRAFTS- president; Mrs. Stanley Jones, vice presi- MAN and GEM CUTTER that has EVER BEEN PUBLISHED. NEVER dent; Mrs. Benjamin Benton, secretary; and Mrs. Cecil Manly, treasurer. BEFORE has anyone, attempted such a project FOR YOU. RESERVE • • • YOUR COPY NOW. The Los Angeles, California, Lapidary Send $ 1.00 for the paper bound edition. ACT NOW Society will hold its annual exhibition of members' work at the Van Ness Playground $2.00 for the Deluxe Hard Book binding. Auditorium, 5720 2nd Ave., on May 5 and AFTER PUBLICATION DATE THE PRICES WILL BE 6. The show will be open from 10 a.m. to $1.50 and $2.50 respectively. 10 p.m. on the 5th and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the 6th. Admission is free. YOU SAVE —;—— by ordering NOW. On every order we receive before publi- • • • cation date we lose money — YOU GAIN. GLENDALE TO COMBINE ANNIVERSARY WITH SHOW YOU CANNOT BUY A COPY OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR The Glendale, California, Lapidary and Gem Society will combine its 10th Anniver- "GRIEGER'S ENCYCLOPEDIA Many of the pages will be in color. sary celebration with its annual show on There will be many wonderful articles May 19-20. Among outstanding exhibits AND SUPERCATALOG OF which have never been in print before. will be the three famous carved sapphires Typical of such articles will be one by from the Kazanjian Brothers' collection as THE LAPIDARY AND well as large pieces of uncut opal and ruby; JEWELRY ARTS" the director of research for Linde Air and I. L. Chow and William Phillips will Products Co. on how SYNTHETIC STAR show part of their collection of figurines for 1948 or 1950 at 5 or ten times the RUBIES are manufactured. and urns cut from common gem material. original cost of $1.00. Most of the peo- The admission-free show will be held in OTHER ARTICLES are: the Glendale Civic Auditorium, 1401 Ver- ple who still have these books will not dugo Road. sell them at any price. HOW TO CUT CABOCHONS • • • HOW TO POLISH SPECIMENS The Gem County Rock and Mineral So- Here are some actual letters we FACET CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS ciety of Emmett, Idaho, has invited all rock- received from customers who pur- hounds and lapidary club members to at- HOW TO HARD SOLDER tend and display at its second annual rock chased our 1948 Encyclopedia. by Wm. T. Baxter and mineral show, June 22-24. There will be no admission charge for the show. "I had much doubt about sending $1.00 THE FIRST POPULAR ARTICLE ON HOW for I thought—just a mere catalog. But AUTOMATIC CHAIN MAKING MA just try and buy it back for $10.00. You CHINES OPERATE. BLANK MOUNTINGS would not get it for that price unless I COPPER ENAMELING INSTRUCTIONS for positively knew that I could get another." Use of the Diamond Saw AGATE JEWELRY T. Wilson—Coalinga, California WHOLESALE Care and Use of Grinding Wheels How to Set Up a School Shop Rings — Ear Wires — Tie Chains "I do not see how you expect to sell Cuff Links — Neck Chains books when you put so much technical Prospecting for Uranium Bezel — devices — Shanks information in your catalogs on how to Determination of Rocks Solder — Findings pursue one's hobbies." Determination of Minerals Send stamp for price list No. 3 C. W. Stimson-Seattle, Wash. And MANY OTHERS O. R. JUHKINS & SON 1633 E. Walnut St. 440 N.W. Beach St. NEWPORT, OREGON GRIEGER'S, Inc. Pasadena 4, Calif. MAIL ADDRESS: P. O. Box 4185, CATALINA STATION, PASADENA, CALIF.

MAY, 1956 43 EASTERN FEDERATION SHOW. the earth sciences is being planned. There STIFLE MEMORIAL CLAIMS' will be commercial booths, competitive club OWNERS STATE NEW POLICY CONVENTION SEPTEMBER 27-30 and individual member displays, and non- competitive feature exhibits. Members of the El Dorado County Min- The 1956 Gem and Mineral Show and eral and Gem Society of Placerville, Cali- Sixth Annual convention of the Eastern • • • fornia, announced changes in the policy of Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Dates for the Long Beach, California, the society with regard to collecting at the Societies will be held in Baltimore, Mary- club's Stifle Memorial Claims. land, on September 27, 28 and 29, with post- Mineral and Gem Society's annual show convention field trips scheduled for Sunday, have been set for October 6-7.—Mineral Hereafter no collecting will be permitted September 30. The Gem Cutters Guild of News at the Stifle Claims without written permis- Baltimore is the host Society. • t • sion from the Club Secretary whose address The Humboldt Gem and Mineral Society is P. O. Box 950, Placerville. Applications Mrs. Elsie Kane White, 3418 Flannery of Eureka, California, will hold its third should state date desired for collecting and Lane, Baltimore 7, Md., Executive Vice the following fees should be included: $5 President of the Eastern Federation, is Gen- annual Gem and Mineral Show on October eral Chairman. The show will be held in 6-7 at the Carson Memorial Building in for a mineral society group or, in the case the main ballroom of Baltimore's Hotel Eureka. Mrs. Amelia Alward, the club's of individuals, $1 per car. No permits will Emerson and a full program of lectures on federation director, was named chairman of be issued unless the fee accompanies the the event. request. The fees entitle collectors to a • • • maximum of 25 pounds of material per person. New officers of the Riverside County, California, Chamber of Mines are Harry • • • W. Hails, president; M. F. Wadleigh, first Following their highly successful rock vice president; Velma Congleton, second show recently, members of the unique rock- HIGHLMD PARK vice president; Helen Bixel, secretary; O. H. hound club in the Parker Dam, California, THE LAPIDARY'S Routenberg, treasurer; H. L. Tomer, Sally area, agreed to make the show an annual STANDARD OF VALUE Gurley, Maurice O. Nordstrom, M. L. event. Most of the club membership is Moberly, F. A. Verdugo and Retta Ewers, made up of out-of-state trailerites who directors. BUY THK BEST spend the Winter at the Big Bend Resort FOR I.MSS and other places along the Colorado River. Congo Din likules — Sizes It is the club's plan to hold the shows each Ned Hutter was recently installed presi- February. Range from 4" to 24" in dent of the Palos Verdes Gem and Mineral Light, Standard, Heavy Society of Torrance, California. Also tak- and Rxtra Heavy duty. ing office were Harold Hodson and Ernest Will Wright was elected president of the Pauls, vice presidents; L. G. Hill, treasurer; Verdugo Hills, California, Gem and Min- Helen Massey, secretary; and Larry Coker, eral Society. Serving with Wright will be Highland publicity chairman. Daroll Albright, vice president; John Phil- Park lips, treasurer; Mary Koltz, secretary; Ray Trim Saws Mandeville, Marie Garrett, Barry Living- Don Ellis was recently re-elected presi- ston, Earl Hittson, Joe Barnes, Walt Biggs, C <> ITI pact and rugged for long dent of the Seattle, Washington, Gem Col- Dave Glazer, Don Eliot and Jerry Brown, lasting service. lectors' Club along with vice president Mer- trustees.—Rockhound News and Views ritt Morey. New officers are Mrs. Lena K-4 Trim Saw Streams, secretary; Norman Harvey, treas- •;: urer; and Roy Anderson, director.—Nuts Not all Indian arrowheads were made and Nodules from stone. A great number were made of A Leader other materials such as wood, bone, deer In Its Field antler, metal and gar-fish scales. In New Mexico some tribes made arrows from cane 1. | Highland Turk I'owcr-fced Slab Saws. Sizes range Make Your Own Jewelry or reed, the point a small piece of fire- from 12" to 24". Metal with hardened wood, sharpened to a point and or Lucite hood. socketed into the tubular arrowshaft. In GEMMKITS Pre-Columbian times, some arrowheads were (JEMMKI'l'S contain all the stones, parts, hammered out of native copper ore.—Earth Slab Saw cement, and instructions to make a complete Science News piece or set of jewelry. GEMMKITS are Highland Park Combination Unit packed in crystal plastic jewel boxes. Available In all sizes. Perfect Combination Newest sensation in synthetic gemstones, Unit for Lapidary work. Handles sawing, GBMMKIT No. 1 grinding, sanding and polishing. Excep- Dangle ear rings $1.75 strontium titanate, will be sold under the tionally quiet operation. trade name Starillian at about $75 per carat. GKMMKIT No. 2 With a refractive index higher than diamond Button ear rings $1.25 but lower than titania, Starillian is never- GEMMKIT No. 9 theless a clearer and more attractive stone Baroque cuff links $2.75 than titania, it is reported. Starillian's hard- Your choice of rose quartz, striking pink ness is 6 and specific gravity, 5.13.—Sooner and black rhodonite, shimmering tiger-eye, snow-flake obsidian, "Apache Tears" obsid- Rockologist ian, or select jaspers. All tumble-polished natural stones. BYER-ARMSTRONG CO. The Wasatch Gem Society of Salt Lake E-10 Combination Unit 2405 E. Washington St. City, Utah, has named the following mem- Arbors of all sizes—Tumblers, two models. Pasadena, California bers to office: Donald Jordan, president; Wet and dry belt sanders—Lapidary units Lapidary & jewelry supplies, findings, Marie Crane, vice-president; Faye Buraside, in two different sizes. mountings secretary; Ken Stewart, treasurer; Dr. B. D. Bennion, field trip chairman. 32 MODELS TO CHOOSE FROM The most complete line of lapidary machin- ery offered by any manufacturer. See these at your local Highland Park dealer or write for free literature. ROCKS AND MINERALS A Product of (AMERICA'S OLDEST AND LARGEST MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO ROCKS AND MINERALS) Founded 1926 — Issued once every 2 months — 112 pages HIGHLAND PARK 1 year subscription $3*00—Sample copy 60c A magazine written in simple, understandable language for those interested in rocks, minerals, MANUFACTURING CO. crystals, ores, gems, sands, fossils. A simple knowledge of minerals could mean your fortune. For fun and adventure galore, read Rocks and Minerals and watch your spare time turn into 1009-1011 Mission Street a fascinating and profitable hobby. A magazine for young and old alike. South Pasadena, California BOX 29, DEPT. D ROCKS AND MINERALS PEEKSKIU, NEW YORK

DESERT MAGAZINE One favorite technique is the use of a dis- carded phonograph record as the lap wheel surface. Ordinary powdered red jewelers AMATEUR OEM CUTTER polishing rouge is used with water as the polishing agent. For various soft materials, different speeds are indicated, and this By DR. H. C. DAKE, Editor of The Mineralogist knowledge will soon be acquired with a little practice with a given material. The "What type of lapidary equipment do you purchase, it has a definitely good resale manner in which the amount of water and advise?" This is a frequent question we value, provided same is maintained in good rouge should be used, will also be readily have been asked by those who contemplate condition—just like your Ford or Chev. learned with a little experience. Not all taking up lapidary work as a hobby. It may be noted here that while the hob- soft gems can be polished satisfactorily on byist is not primarily interested in mass the phonograph record lap, but it does solve The obvious answer to this question would the problem for many. Both sides of the be "What are your requirements?" Atten- production or commercial work, the fact is record may be used, and since they are tion is called to the fact that it is possible that many of the old timers who engage in inexpensive they may be discarded as indi- to do equally good work with a small and gem cutting, easily make the hobby pay its cated through use. modestly priced unit, as it is with units in own way, and at the same time build up the much higher priced field. We generally valuable collections — all in leisure time. refer to the higher priced units as being in Finished gems, and polished specimens al- the commercial type class, and suitable for ways have a ready market. Opal is perhaps the only precious gem mass production. The home gem cutter is bound to finish that has never been imitated with even a dis- many duplicates which are not needed for tant approach to success. Some 60 years In short, the home gem cutter with a his private collection. For example, when ago, French "opal" was placed on the mar- quite modestly priced lapidary unit will work a thunder egg is sawed there will be two ket. This imitation was comprised of two say two or three hours, and perhaps finish halves, more or less identical or quite sim- pieces of lenticular clear glass, cemented only two or three cabochons or polished ilar. The cutter will generally place the together, with a thin plate of mother of pieces. Putting in the same time on the best half in his collection, and the other pearl between them—like a triplet. The higher priced "commercial" type units, the half becomes a duplicate not needed. The material was never popular, and is now same operator will finish from 10 to 20 same is true in finishing many other speci- seldom seen. times as many cabochons or polished pieces. mens, including cabochons. Hence the home gem cutter is bound to accumulate dupli- But it is to be remembered that in both cates. These may be disposed of in quantity instances the work turned out can be equally lots to supply houses, or even to beginners good in quality. in the field. When sold to supply houses, Wrinkles may appear when adapting the retail prices are not to be expected, for after sanding cloth over the working face of the The difference in production rests in the all the dealer must realize costs of opera- vertical running type of sander. In order fact that in the commercial type units, two tion and profit. to get a smooth adaptation of a new sand- operations may be carried out at the same ing cloth, the back side (not abrasive side) time. While a specimen is in the saw, the The income from duplicates and surplus should be made slightly moist with water. operator can be working at sanding, grinding production enables many hobbyists to make This will soften the cloth and permit easier or polishing. In the lower priced type of the hobby pay its way, and at the same adaptation to the face of the wooden disk. equipment, it is generally necessary to time, over a period of years the home cutter change tools for each operation, and this may build up magnificent collections valued On this type of sander the cloth is gen- takes added time. in the thousands of dollars. There are few erally held firmly in place by the use of a hobbies that can be made to pay their own metal hoop, fitted tightly over the slightly So in deciding what type of equipment to way. tapered periphery of the wheel. Some purchase at the outset, it may be well to * * * workers cut a groove on the periphery of keep these facts in mind. Or better yet, the disk, and hold the sanding cloth in po- visit a number of home lapidary shops, talk Various methods have been given for sition with a heavy rubber band cut from to those who have had experience, note the polishing facet cut gems having a hardness an old inner tube. In both cases the damp- equipment used, note the many types of ened cloth can be more easily adapted. excellent factory built equipment available, of less than six. and then decide what would best suit your needs, and how much money you care to invest in your hobby at the outset. r Many do start out with low priced units, and continue with same for years, while CuttmFAST... others decide to "graduate" into mass pro- duction equipment. Attention is called to For Low Original Cost, specify Felker RIM- the fact that it is generally possible to read- Cut'Em SMOOTH'/ LOCK!... standard of the lapidary industry. ily dispose of any standard, well known Rugged, speedy and gives excellent service for piece of used lapidary equipment. Standard a modest investment. Available in copper or lapidary equipment always has had. and steel, diameters 3 inches through 36 inches. still has a good resale value. Note in the advertisements in the magazines in this field how seldom used lapidary equipment is offered. It is usually possible to dispose of it privately without being obliged to ad- vertise. Hence no matter what type of For Long Life and Extra Fast Cuts, specify standard, factory built equipment you may Felker KIMBERLEY! Costs more but makes up for the difference in unusually long life! Metal bond rim gets the most use from every diamond particle! Fastest cutting lapidary blade on the market! ALTA INDUSTRIES 2T33 W. Encanto Blvd., Phoenix, Arizona Felker Model DH-1 -A It's EASIER with Felker Di-Met RIM- lapidary saw that operates LOCK and KIMBERLEY DIAMOND like a circular saw! Blade LAPIDARY EQUIPMENT BLADES! Developed by lapidists for dips into coolant stored in lapidists...designed especially for extra aluminum base...can't run MANUFACTURE AND DESIGN cutting speed and economical life! For dry! Includes rip and angle a quicker look inside your rocks, you fences. Uses 6 inch or 8 New 10-12 inch powerfeed slabbing can always depend upon Felker per- inch Rimlock or Kimberley saw unit. formance ! blades. Other machines 16-18 inch powerfeed slabbing saw available. COLOR FILM AVAILABLE J units. For Club and Society programs request 8 and 10 inch trim saw units. strip film, "Diamond Mining in So. FELKER MANUFACTURING CO. Plain and ball bearing belt Sanders. Africa" with 33% long-play record. Torrance, California

Send postal for free literature. World's largest manufacturer of diamond abrasive tuf-off blade* and equipment.

MAY, 1956 45 Hetween If on and. Met \7

By RANDALL HENDERSON

NE OF MY correspondents writes: "My husband preys on the robin, and the bobcat will devour the hawk and I live on the south mountain slope in Lucerne if it gets a chance. But Nature, left to her own devices, Valley, California. Just above us the Jackrabbit maintains a fine balance. If worms become scarce, the homesteaders have their claims, and a sorry lot many of robin will eat insects, and the hawk will take a rodent if them are." there are no robins available. I am sure she is referring to the kind of cabins many Neither the robin, the hawk nor the bobcat pose any of them build, and the junk that litters up the landscape threat to the species on which they prey. When the abun- around some of the homes. dance of one food diminishes, they turn to another food The Small Tract Act under which folks of moderate or move to new hunting grounds. means may obtain from Uncle Sam 5-acre building sites As Irston R. Barnes pointed out in a recent article out in the wide open spaces of the public domain, was in the Atlantic Naturalist, if there were no predators the and is a grand idea. But it is tragic—the ugliness some competition among species could well become disastrous. of the Jackrabbit homesteaders have brought to the desert The deer in the Kaibab forest of northern Arizona were horizon. a thriving herd as long as mountain lion and wolf preyed It does not require any more lumber and nails and on them. But when the predators were removed by the cement to build an attractive little cabin with pleasing payment of state bounties for their destruction, the deer lines than it does to put up a boxcar monstrosity. The increased so rapidly that the food supply was exhausted only difference is in the vision of the builder. and wholesale starvation resulted. Robins, if unchecked, And after the construction days are over there is no could be their own destroyers; the predatory hawk pro- excuse for a junky dooryard. tects them from themselves. But there are unpretentious but lovely little cabins on Thus it is that Nature keeps this old world in balance. some of the homesteads, with rock-lined paths and a bit Man also is a predator, the most ruthless of the preda- of carefully preserved desert vegetation—cabins that look tors for he kills for profit and for sport without regard for orderly and friendly and inviting. You and I know the fine balance which Nature would preserve. He is so instinctively that we would like the person who built that relentless in his hunting he would destroy until a species kind of a home. became extinct if it were not for the restraining influence * * * of a little minority group of human beings who are called When Senator Alan Bible of Nevada suggested that conservationists. western sagebrush might be used for the making of paper, Primitive man killed for food—and lacking either the he evidently spoke before he had consulted with experts weapons or the transportation facilities for wholesale on the subject. Dr. Robert H. Miller of the biology de- slaughter, was never a serious threat to the balance of partment at the University of Nevada is quoted in the Nature. Modern man, with almost unlimited tools for Nevada State Journal as stating the idea is wholly im- destruction, must in some manner be restrained—either practicable for many reasons. by discipline from within, or by authority beyond himself. One of the main reasons is that the sagebrush of the And so it is necessary that we have laws designed to arid lands would be a one crop harvest. After the multi- more or less control the predatory instincts of man. And million dollar mill for converting sage to paper had de- I think we will fare better if those laws are written by nuded the desert of its brush cover for many miles around, scientists rather than by those who kill for profit or for the machinery would have to stand idle for several years sport. while Mother Nature was growing another crop of sage- * # * brush. Olive M. Colhour of Beaver, Washington, gave me * * * permission to copy this verse which she had placed on I am glad to note that the Desert Protective Council her lovely display of fire agate at a recent mineral show has recommended a revision of California's legal classi- in Indio, California. I am reprinting it because it ex- fication of predatory birds and animals (page 8, this presses so well one of the most important truths in the issue.) The proposed new listing of predators is suggested universe: by scientists who have no commercial interest in the Men look for God and fancy him concealed killing of wildlife. In wonder wordings or some bush aflame, In one sense of the word, every carniverous bird and But in earth's common things He stands revealed, beast is a predator. The robin eats the worm, the hawk While stars and flowers and trees spell out His name. 46 DESERT MAGAZINE tered at the Ganado Mission in the Navajo Reservation of Arizona. As practicing head of the mission's hos- BOOKSim>

MAY, 1956 47 DESERT MAPS FOR DESERT TRIPS Maps to gem and mineral fields ghost towns • lost treasure areas • for hiking and exploration trips for travel in the desert recreational areas The maps published each month in Desert Magazine are accurate guides to the places you will want to visit. Over 400 of these maps have appeared in past issues of Desert. Many of these back issues are still available. Here is a classified list—at a special price.

LOST TREASURE—6 of them with maps ROCK HUNTERS—Maps with all of them Sep. '50—Silver Mine of the Old Apata Indians. Jun. '46—Agate, chalcedony, etc., Arizona. MAP Oct. '50—Gold Pockets in the Santa Rosas. Jul. '46—Minerals at Calico. MAP Nov. '50—Lost Silver Mine of the Jesuits. Jul. '49—Sandspikes on the border. MAP Dec. '50—Lost Silver in Monument Valley. Aug. '49—Uranium Strike in Petrified Wood. MAP Jul. '51—Lost Loma Gold. Apr. '50—Dinosaur Bones in Colorado. MAP Aug. '51—Cave of the Golden Sands. Aug. '50—Gem Field Near 29 Palms. MAP Sep. '51—Lost Treasure of the Irish Cavalier. Sep. '50—Apache Tears in Nevada. MAP Oct. '51—Lost Ledge of the Sheep Hole Mtns. MAP Oct. '50—Crystal Calcite in California. MAP Nov. '51—Buried Treasure of the Chiricahuas. MAP Jun. '51—Rocks of the Ages—In Utah. MAP Jnl. '52—TiOSt Mine with the Iron Door. Jul. '51—On Black Rock Desert Trails. MAP Aug. '52—Lost Gold of the Vampire Bats. Aug. '51—Where Turquoise Was Mined. MAP Sep. '52—Lost Lead of Santa Clara. MAP Sep. '51—Agate Trail in Nevada. MAP Oct. '52—Lost Pima Indian Gold. Oct. '51—Geodes in Lizard Gulch. MAP Nov. '52—Lost Silver Ledge of Santa Catarina Nov. '51—Cave of the Crystal Snowbanks. MAP Dec. '52—Troopers' Lost Gold. Apr. '52—Garnets Aplenty at Stanley. MAP Jan. '53—Lost Treasure of Carreta Canyon May '52—Beauty in Those Ancient Pebbles. MAP Feb. '53—Quest for the Peralta Gold Jun. '52—Petrified Wood Along the New Butterfield Mar. '53—Gold Behind a Waterfall Trail. MAP Apr. *53—Lost Treasure of Sonoyta Jul. '52—Agate Hunting Along the Gila. MAP May '53—Lost Mine of the Blond Mayo Aug. '52—Black Agate in Milky Wash. MAP Jun. '53—Lost Lode of Sierra Sombrera. MAP Dec. '52—We Explored an Old Nevada Lake Bed. MAI* Sep. '53—Did They Find the Lost Breyfogle? MAP Mar. '53—Ghost Town Prospector. MAP Nov. '53—Lost Copper in the Chocolates Apr. '53—There's Still Color in the Old Placer Mines. Dec '53—Lost Desert Queen Mine. MAP MAP TREASURE HUNTER'S SET. 24 Magazine $4.00 Jun. '53—Field Day in Muggins Hills. MAP Nov. '53—Agate-Seamed Butte at Bouse. MAP TRAVEL. EXPLORATION—Maps with all of them ROCK HUNTER'S SET, 24 Magazine $4.00 Jun. '46—Hopi Trek to the Land of Big Water. MAP Jul. '46—Palm Hunters in the Inkopah Wastelands. GHOST TOWNS—Maps with 11 of them MAP Dec. '47—Grand Canyon Voyage. MAP Jul. '46—Ghost Town of Calico Hills. MAP Jul. '49—On Hassayampa Trails. MAP Aug. '49—Waterhole at the Crossroad. MAP Aug. '49—Indian Country Trek. MAP Aug. '51—So They Built Ft. Bowie. MAP Aug. '50—When Hopis Dance for Rain. MAP Nov. '52—Ghost of Baxter Mountain. MAP Sep. '50—Escalante River Trip. MAP Feb. '53—Ghost Fortress in New Mexico. MAP Oct. '50—Forgotten Trails of the Old West. MAP Jul. '53—Man Who Bought a Ghost Town. MAP Nov. '50—Sacred Mountain of the Tribesmen. MAP Oct. '53—Silver Strike at Belmont. MAP Dec. '50—Gold and Roses on Garces' Trail. MAP Dec. '53—When Troopers Came to Nevada. MAP Jun. '51—Trail of the 57 Shrines. MAP Jan. '54—Golden Ghost of the Nevada Hills. MAP Jul. '51—We Camped with the Pai Pai. MAP May '54—N«vad:i Ghost Town. MAP Sep. '51—We Camped on Kaiparowitz. MAP Aug. '54—The Ghost That Refuses to Die. Oct. '51—Trail to Hawkeye Natural Bridge. MAP Dec. '54—Old Fort Schellbourne. MAP Nov. '51—Cave of the Crystal Snowbanks. MAP Apr. '52—We Explored the Valley of Thundering GHOST TOWN SET. 12 Magazines $2.00 Water. MAP May '52—Goblins in Flame Colored Stone. MAP Jun. '52—Murray Canyon is a Challenge. MAP COMPLETE YOUR FILES Jul. '52—Tribesmen of Santa Catarina. MAP All back issues of Desert Magazine are now available except Oct. '52—Glen Canyon Voyage. MAP Volume 1, Number 1, published in November, 1937. When some Apr. '53—The Ancients Were Here. MAP of the issues were exhausted, we bought them back from the Aug. '53—Historic Pass of the Wind River Country. owners, and for these we charge from 25c to $2.00 each, according to what we paid for them. All others are available at the regular MAP single copy price. If you'll send us a list of the copies you need Nov. '53—We Climbed Telescope Peak. MAP to complete your files we will advise you as to the cost. Binders, Dec. '53—Graveyard of the Dinosaurs. MAP each holding 12 copies, are available for all back volumes. TRAVEL AND EXPLORATION SET. 24 Mags. $4.00 Many of the above magazines are newsstand returns, but all of them are complete and in good condition. The supply of some issues is limited, and we reserve the privilege of substituting other copies which include maps of the same general subject. Order as Many of the Above Issues as You Wish Magazines may be ordered by specifying month One Copy 25c; Six for $1.00; 12 for $2.00 and year only, or by sets The entire set of 41 different magazines for $6.00 LOOSE LEAF BINDERS FOR PERMANENT fTlflGflZinE FILING WILL BE SUPPLIED FOR $2.00 EACH m Each binder has space for 12 copies PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA