Gilpin observer., 1900-01-04
PEAR CACTUS,

valuable addition to California's al
ready long list of fruits, | collected
seven of the best varieties obtainable.
These were forwarded to the gardens
of Timothy Hopkins at Menlo Park.
where they were cared for until ready
for setting cut.
The plants have grown equally well
In the several parts of the state to
which they were sent. Last year they
fruited lightly, but the present season
some of them have borne such i'm
mense crops that the branches have
been broken under the weight. The
fruits vary in color from bright car
mine to yellowish orange. They are
pear shaped. oblong or nearly round.
according to variety. Some of them
measure five inches in length and
eight inches in circumference and
weigh full eight ounces. They should
always be allowed to ripen thoroughly.
picked in the early morning and kept
in the shade. as they are slightly in
sipid when warm. The fruits of the
red varieties are most gorgeously col
ored when peeled.
The Spaniard. Sicilian or Arab who.
from necessity or taste. makes habit
of dining on cactus fruit carries
small piece of leather with strap
over the back. under which his fingers
can be slipped. With this leather he
grasps the fruit. The ends are slashed
off with a sharp knife. and pronged
stick or fork is securely stuck into the
side. The fruit is now held erect and
lengthwise cut made in the skin,
which is turned back both ways. eX-
posing the ruby or golden heart, as the
case may be. In n twinkling this dis
down his throat in much the
same fashion as n raw oyster is swal-
lowed. This deft operation is repeated
eight or ten times. when the curbstone
diner saunters off with a Chesterfield
ian air. Nothing can harm me now,"
and all for 2 cents.
An ardent devotee of the new fruit
has improved on the Spanish method.
He jabs pointed stick firmly into the
blossom end of the fruit. slices the
peel from the stem In four sections
and turns these back in orange fash
ion. The trick of it all is to prevent
getting any of the little. Irritating. fuZ-
Zy spines which cluster on the peel in
your fingers or mouth. The spines are
not nearly SO numerous rs they are on
the common prickly pear and for the
most part can be easily removed by
gently brushing the fruit before or aft
er 1t is picked. In addition to being
delicious eating. palatable drink. ex-
cellent jelly and other delicacies are
made from the pulp. The Juice. which
is of n brilliant hue. Is sometimes used
as water color and rs a harmless col
oring for desserts, candies. etc.
There are about 100 species of the
opuntia. or prickly pear. all natives of
the American continent. scattered from
New York state to Peru. Many Of
these bear edible fruits. but very few
are of size and flavor to make them
useful rs food.
The original stock of opuutia. or no.
palea. as the section In question Is now
called. was probably carried from Mex
leo or the West Indies to southern Eu-
rope by the Spanlards in early days ;or
the dual purpose of furnishing fruit
and host plants for cochineal insects.
In Algeria many useful and orna-
mental articles are made from the old
wood.
The nopalea plants at Pnlo Alto are
five feet In height. and the fiat. jointed
branches are of deep green color.
smooth and practically devoid of
spnes. The inconspicuous flowers ap-
pear In early summer. and the fruit
ripens from September to December.
The plants come into hearing the third
year from planting. When there Is n
tendency to overproduce. the fruit
should he thnned. This improves the
size aud flavor. An acre of plants in
full bearing would probably yield from
eight to ten tons OF fruit.
Tircny Light.