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Show DOWNINDIXIELAND H. R. Merrill in Deseret News March 27 The cactus will soon be in bloom again along the Rio Virgen and around Old Pipe Springs. The Yucca beside the road above La Verkin and the mesquite on the hills above St. George will soon be flowering. Spring has come to Dixie and the Dixie orchards will soon be a mass of color. Those who have had the pleasure of dropping down the canyon from Cedar City, or over the ridge from Pauguiteh early in spring will have some idea of the thrill that comes to one who has seen Dixie a-bloom. Then, if ever, she is the paradise of which our forefathers sang; then if ever, she is the Eden of Utah Late April or early May are usually usual-ly the seasons at which the contrast between northern and southern Utah is most pronounced. This year it will likely be earlier. First Piljri'imajse It was in April last year that I went south on my first pilgrimage of the year. Utah valley was just stirring stir-ring with the throb of spring, not yet fully awakened. Alfalfa was just beginning to stool out from the crowns of the roots; buds were bursting burst-ing under the pressure of the life fluid within; birds were caroling their full-throated songs of spring. We went first to Panguitch where we found spring farther away still. The great trees that marked the town were dead gray without a sign of the blush of new life. Bryce canyon was fresh and clean with the paint of the winter still wet. j It fairlv glistened in the April sunshine sun-shine as we hung along the brink and feasted upon the beauty of the boiling pot of rainbows" but spring was not there. At least the genial warmth and the elixir of the season of love were not in evidence. From Bryce we dropped over the mountain to Paragoona and Cedar Citv in our quest for spring. The soda fountains were doing a good business in Cedar, the grass was beginning be-ginning to look green, the air was balmy, but spring at its best had not arrived. We followed south hoping that we would be able to corner the blue-eyed fair one in Dixie. The goats, by the hundreds, were in Black canyon looking look-ing for signs of spring. In their quest many were actually climbing part way up the trees and scurrying among the lava rocks. The little stream was muddy and spring like, as we followed it, we found ourselves hurtling through the calendar at a merry clip. At Anderson's we inquired for strawberries. To our surprise and dismay, the luscious fruit had come and gone. Disappointed, we drove on towards Toquerville. The Quest Over As we rounded that rocky point of hill on the old road between the two places, spring hit us square in the face; for we had come upon our first cacti. They were in full bloom. Red and yellow and pink they were. Some were as delicate and fragile as the down on a butterfly's wing. We stopped to admire, but not to pick. The cactus blossom is so delicate deli-cate that it would seem sacrilege to pluck one. That is not the only reason rea-son why one doesn't pick them, but that is the best one. Its silken petals, pet-als, one would think, would wilt in a moment, but like all desert animals and plants, they are hardy after all. Bunches of cactus flowers glowing among the sage and sand of Dixie like oriental gems of fabulous size are worth going miles to see. The National Geographic Magazine, a few months ago, showed them in their natural na-tural colors on the printed page. Even there they were delicate and wonderful, but they fell far short of being what they are in the Dixie sand under a Dixie sky. At Toquerville, spring had really ripened into summer. The town was ablaze with roses and peonies. One kind hearted citizen loaded us down with flowers that were at least a month and a half away in the north of Utah. The trees were in full leaf and the men, since it was Sunday, were loafing under the luxuriant foliage foli-age only as men can loaf in June in the north. The Vast Expanse Above La Verkin we stopped to take a view of the vast expanse of sky and pinnacles and turrets and towers. Though none of us had trod the golden gold-en ways of Zion, we could tell by the spirit of the place that we were approaching ap-proaching its sacred portals. Spring was everywhere. 01 to one side we caught a glimpse of some giant yucca plants. We abandoned the car to see what these Mexican sword plants had to offer of-fer in spring besides sharp points. They were dreams of loveliness with their long panicles of delicate, lilylike lily-like blossoms. We found a veritable garden of them. Attracted by the sight we rushed in to view more closely the gorgeous blossoms, when we discovered the gems were protected protect-ed from invasion by the sword points of the bristling plants, which prodded our legs viciously as we brushed against them. We were not to be denied, however. how-ever. We broke through the barricade barri-cade to a point where we could count the blossoms on one of the long stems. There were at least 50 in these gigantic recemes. Think of a long stem along which at close intervals 50 blossoms, each one as large as a small teacup, is attached. at-tached. These blossoms were as delicate de-licate in texture and as fairy like in contour as the cactus Diossom useii.. I could not resist. I cut one of the graceful plumes and carried it with me to the car where I displayed it with pride. It soon wilted, however, and I had to sit and watch the beauty of a hundred sunsets fade before me. On the rim of the Grand Canyon, a year or two ago, I found other magnificent magni-ficent cactus plants and blossoms. Down there I ran on to the famous nail-keg cactus from whose frugal barrel, it is alleged, many a famishing famish-ing cowpuncher has had water sufficient suffi-cient tQ sustain life, and from whose juices the famous cactus candy of Arizona is manufactured. On the Rim-Rock On the rim-rock, too, I found two cactus plants side by side. Bou were blooming and good to look up on that spring day. The plant was decorated with small, purple blosoras It was like a porcupine, 'doliedvup" for a party. We remained over night ir. Roek-ville. Roek-ville. Ah, an April night in Rock, ville, Orderville, Glendale.St. George Kanab. or any of the towns of the south, is a night never to be forgotten. forgot-ten. The heat has not returned in April, but the birds have, and among them, the Mocking Bird. We slept under a pear tree that moonlight night in Rockville. The tree must have been planted almost as soon as the settlers reached the town, for it had spread to a gigantic size. The moon was full and was pouring a flood of brilliant color over the Rio Virgin valley, and the little town. Beyond the river we could see pin. nacles of stone marked upon a silver sky; behind us we could feel, though we could not see, the towers of 7,j011 and the eternal vigilance of the Sentinels. Sen-tinels. Moonlight and Melody All night long, or during a., much of it as I can remember, the. mocking bird, the pride of Dixie flooded the moonlight or should I say transformed transform-ed the moonlight, into melody that could be heard as well as seen. Other Oth-er birds whose voices I did not know joined in the chorus that made that night, of all my nights,, stand out like a dream of Paradise. Dixie is alive with birds in April and May. The mocking bird, wax-wings, wax-wings, chats, and scores of others melodize the land until it can be heard as well as seen. In April, he who has visited Dixie in spring will hear the call of the cactus. If he is footloose and able, he is likely to "pack up his troubles in his old kit bag" and flit away down south. Utahns who live in the north, who wish to see Dixie and its wonders at its best will not wait for the heat of the summer and the flies; they will go south while the contrast is thrilling and while Dixie at its best. One must not, of course, expect to see great cities and miles of cultivated cultivat-ed flowers including ferns and lotus blossoms; one should expect to see wide expanses colored by a hand that can harmonize the most warring tints; skies of unusual warmth and geniality; trees of luxuriant growth occasionally; sage and sand and cactus cac-tus blossoms. Above all, through all, like the voices of angels, especially especi-ally early in the morning and at night, one may expect to hear the glorious songs of birds. |
