Photo comparison 1948 to 1958

Desert Magazine of November 1948 has a brief, two-page article by Lewis W. Walker the title of which is Freak Tree of the Peninsula, page 23.

Accompanied by three photographs, it is a short story about Walker's infatuation with the Cirio, he refers to it as the Boogum.

The below photo is from that article.



This morning while re-reading The Forgotten Peninsula by Joseph Wood Crutch, Crutch refers to his hunt for the Cirio trees in 1958. Turns out that Mr. Walker went along with Krutch and others in search of the exact trees Walker had photographed ten years earlier. The idea was to try to determine the rate of growth over a ten-year period. Walker's memory was such that the little group traveling in an International "Travelall" as Krutch describes it found each of the trees Walker had photographed years earlier.

Later today I will scan and post the comparison photo that is on the third unnumbered page following page 56 in Krutch's book.

Below is the 1958 photo by Krutch.


Krutch and the others surmised that one of the plants grew 18" in the ten years, that was the exception. Several grew very little. Their non-expertise as botanists lead them to believe that many factors contributed to the growth of each specimen with the most significant change noted on trees on which branches had been broken off. Their adventure started in Bay of L.A. - north to Santa Catarina Landing - then to San Felipe and home.

John M

[Edited on 10-30-2021 by John M]

My favorite tree...

I grew one from a cutting I made in 1984... Actually two cuttings, one survived for 21 years, in a pot. Every year it put out new leaves and small side stems... they would drop off... and the cycle repeated.

The cutting was a branch from a tall boojum that snapped in half (wind?) and 4 new branches (then about 15" tall) grew up from it. I 'liberated' two of the four and brought them home... Put them in pots with well-drained cactus soil mix.

After some time, one was happy and lived. I moved it with me as I changed homes (and wives), including 2.5 years in Fresno.

The 'tree' grew about four inches in the 21 years it lived with me, and that includes one time my kids knocked the pot over and snapped off 12 years of growth (2"), so it had to start over!

Anyway, around 2005 termites got into the pot and killed my baby boojum. I had began my relationship with Baja Angel, she met my pet boojum before it died.

In 2017, I returned to the mother tree to examine the two siblings that remained attached to her...


Not a whole lot taller than their brother who was potted for 21 years! About 24-30 inches tall. Notice the scar made by my shovel in 1984 from my cutting off one of the two branches. This is a few miles south of Cataviña near a wide area on the left.

I wish the author left a clue as to where they found this particular boojum. It's likely still there.

I know of my own favorite "arch" boojum, but there are likely many.

wonderful photo geoff

Arched boojums in photos

A few I can think of from my website:



Neal Johns' Tacoma (north of San Borja), 2002.



Bo's daughter, Andee and my Sarah (west of San Borja), 2003.



My new lady-friend (and future wife), near Montevideo, 2004.



My future step-son, Josh, near Montevideo, 2006.

Quote: Originally posted by John M

No doubt there are many such specimens. Later in the book by Krutch he mentions using Gerhard & Gulick. The Boojum hunt trip was April 1958. There was an updated Lower California Guidebook published in 1958 and the previous edition - more likely the one used by Krutch was published in 1956. The '56 edition maps show the road most likely followed by the photo hunters from Bahia de los Angeles through Aqua Amarga, Desengano, Punta Prieta, onto El Marmol lastly to Puerto Santa Catarina near where their search ended. (Spelling police note that the spellings I used are from the Guidebook.) - So, Geoff, there is the route to rediscovery. And, there are more clues - Lewis Walker made copies of 6 of his photos for Krutch and noted the locations where the photos were taken on the back of the photos - so now that seems pretty easy. Just get the six copies carried by Krutch and the others and see what information they provide. Krutch does indicate that they were visible from the "road." John

Nice sleuthing steps!

I have the Gehard & Gulick fold-out map from the back of the 1962 book. It isn't very detailed, and seems to show what is today's main road.

I have the 1970 book. Here is MAP 7.

Map 7 with new roads drawn in to compare:

The 1956 map (then was called Map 6):



I am a big fan of Howard Gulick's books and maps... I met Howard in 1966 and he signed my Lower California Guidebook... I was near my 9th birthday, but I remember the event very well and what he told my dad and I as we were preparing for the big peninsula run in our Jeep (Tijuana to Cabo San Lucas, 800 unpaved miles).

The 1958 and 1962 guidebooks had revised text and maps from the 1956 book.

There was a second printing of the 1962 book in 1964.
In 1967, revision notes were added, and a second printing of the 1967 edition was in 1970 (no other changes).

The 1962 maps appeared in all following editions and printings to 1970.

There was a total revision made, with a title change in 1975, by Walt Wheelock (and Howard Gulick checked Walt's work extensively). That edition (Baja California Guidebook) was reprinted in 1980, no changes from 1975.

The maps in the 1975 & 1980 book were three maps in a pocket in the back cover. Geoffff spliced them together and you can zoom in for detail: https://octopup.org/img/media/maps/baja/1975--Baja-Californi...


1956 first edition


1958 second edition


Cover used for 1962 third edition and 1967 fourth edition and their second printings in 1964 and 1970.


1975 fifth edition


1980 second printing of the fifth edition

[Edited on 11-1-2021 by David K]

Quote: Originally posted by geoffff

Quote: Originally posted by John M   No doubt there are many such specimens. Later in the book by Krutch he mentions using Gerhard & Gulick. The Boojum hunt trip was April 1958. There was an updated Lower California Guidebook published in 1958 and the previous edition - more likely the one used by Krutch was published in 1956. The '56 edition maps show the road most likely followed by the photo hunters from Bahia de los Angeles through Aqua Amarga, Desengano, Punta Prieta, onto El Marmol lastly to Puerto Santa Catarina near where their search ended. (Spelling police note that the spellings I used are from the Guidebook.) - So, Geoff, there is the route to rediscovery. And, there are more clues - Lewis Walker made copies of 6 of his photos for Krutch and noted the locations where the photos were taken on the back of the photos - so now that seems pretty easy. Just get the six copies carried by Krutch and the others and see what information they provide. Krutch does indicate that they were visible from the "road." John Nice sleuthing steps! I have the Gehard & Gulick fold-out map from the back of the 1962 book. It isn't very detailed, and seems to show what is today's main road.