The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-02-28

eVOlVed IN Mexico, ana
can be produced with equal ease on
the barren wastes of the great South
west. 1t is not customary for high
livers to look to desert lands for their
choice morsels, but in this case it must
be admitted that Dame Nature has
held in store for them surprise which
has been uncovered only through the
industrious researches OF the inquisl-
tive agricultural scientists of to-day.
The new confectlon is called by the
Mexicans "queso de tuna" which
means literally cactus cheese.
To give this announcement even the
merest appearance Of being founded
upon fact, it must be explained that
the cactus as it is generally known is
nothing less than wild plant. COW
cred with prickly spines. These spines
are intended by nature as deterrents
to wild animals which would other
wise get into the habit of making the
cactus their principal food supply.
Were the spines lacking, the plant
would quickly be exterminated through
this demand for food. A great portion
VI AhV SOuNh " CStNlh NOiltl VI lut
United States is absolutely unsuted
to the growing of general crops. so
that plants of any sort, however
worthless they may appear to the casu-
al traveller, have some value to the
people who live there. 1t is not sur
prising then that such plants assume
great value in the eyes of scientific
experimenters whenever there is the
slightest trace of qualities capable of
development and adaptation TO human
needs. To this end investigations have
been in progress for q year or two
past to determine what useful results
could be attained through the scien-
tific development of the cactus plant,
and all that has been discovered would
fill book
The discovery of greatest interest
is the production Of this cactus cheese,
which looks for all the wonld like a
| fine grade of chocolate. and which is
made up in packages about the size of
pound OF butter. 1t is wrapped in
tinfoil to preserve 1t from deteriora-
tiOn. The Mexicans say it is n nutrl-
tious food, which is eaten with as
much delight by the connoisseur as
that individual shows in devourlng
| some kinds of cheese which call for
an acquired taste to permit of their
| thorough enjoyment. Personal corrob-
grafton of this can be given by the
Evening Posts correspondent, who has
tasted a duly authenticated. sclentifi-
cally tested and officially approved
sample of pure cactus cheese. One
may be sure his future enjoyment of
| good things to eat will not be inter-
fered with if he will never see another
piece of cactus cheese in all his life.
But then. as the scientific expert in
qulries whether his visitor really liked
Roquefort the first time he tasted it..
and follows this up with a few other
similar questions, the man who has
had his first experience with cactus
cheese mods his lead and says, almost
involuntarly, perhaps So" Those
who are best acquainted with the pro-
ducts, however, declare that when the
taste Is once acquired, the cheese is
an appetiZng addition TO the we'll
| garnished table. Then there is the
additional fact of the adaptability of
the cactus plant stock, for through
other methods of preparation. there
can be manufactured a syrup and a
sort of jelly which may be eaten with
bread or cracker like the finest Scotch
marmalade, or American apple jelly.
The addition TO the list of eatables
of food susceptible of so many prep
arations as this is expected TO prove
of wide general interest. Now that
the first secret of its value has been
discovered, there is sure TO be an
evolution of the uses 10 which ii may
be put and then undoubtedly there
will spring up new infant industry
to be put upon the protected tariff list
| 1t is not TO be supposed that plant
which has been developed through sci
entific experiment TO produce new
source of food supply for human con-
sumption would not be investigated
from the last inch of its lowest root to
the pinnacle of its growth above
| ground. An inquiry made at the De-
partment of Agriculture shows that
this has in fact beeu done, and that as
interesting results have been achieved
regarding the value of the plant prop
er as of the food stock it produces.
The experiments We're carried on
with the idea of finding out whether
the common prlckly pear cactus from
which the cheese is made could not be
developed in such a way as to provide
fodder for dairy animals. The first
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