Bisbee daily review., 1908-11-02
(By DR.. L. G. Tinker.)


SAN ANTONIO, n. NJ, Oct. 81 FIRE.
quent reference was made in the re-
cent Irrigation congress by speakers
and writer's to New Mexico as the
land of the Cactus and the Mes
quite" the intimation being that the
cactus was one of the most noticeable
things that could stand the arid con-
ditions of this territory without irri-
cation; and we know that it can be
found in our dryest sections from the
mountain tops to the valleys, and
that it Is capable of standing all sorts
of i'll treatment and yet live. A far
mer living not far from here turned
over one of the plants and exposed the
roots to the sun, thinking to XIII it.
Not long after he was astonished to
find that it had started new roots
and was growing finely. That was
seven years ago. Desiring to test The
vitality of the cactus still further, he
continued to puroot 1t every spring.
He informed me recently that the
plant still flourishes; and we have
found that the cactus can be cut in
pieces, and if properly managed,
every piece will take root and grow
These facts show how easy will be
the propagation and culture of this
wonderful plant. 1t would seem to be
the one plant in all the world to re-
claim the millions of acres of land in
this territory that never can be irri-
gated. .......
Probably not one-tenth of this vast
domain, more than three times the
area of the great state of Ohio, can
ever be reclaimed by any kind of irr'.
cation. Dry farming will reclaim
some of the land, but the greater part
is clearly the home of the cactus and
the wild animals that chiefly subsisL
upon it. The thorns on these wild
plants alone prevent stock from feed
ing on them except when forced by
starvation. They have then been seen
to eat the cactus till the blood runs
from their mouths. The nutritive
value of the cactus is unquestioned
and the fierce thorns and bristles
alone have prevented its extinction by
wild animals long ago. 1t is believed
by many that this wild cactus plant
is the only hope of ever reclaiming
our waste lands, for it is known that
the spines and spicules can be re-
moved by scientific culture and
breeding, that its nutritive value as
stock food can be greatly improved.
and even its fruits can be improved
and made to serve as a valuable food
for man. There are few plants, in
deed, that offer such an inviting ana
wide field improvements that prom
ises SO much ultimately for the vel
fare of humanity.
Up to this time there has been no
systematic effort made to improve our
native hardy cactus. However, the
past winter Mr.. G. B. Allaire, mer
chant of this town, and an able ana
scientific man, and myself COM
menced the search for valuable wild
plants, and began their culture. We
now have probably all of the most
valuable plants within radius of
fifty miles of this place. We have
over four hundred or them, ana the
past season made some three hun
dred hand pollenations of the flow
ers. resulting in many crossed and
hybrid fruits We have thus made
a beginning in the work of improving
our wild cactus.
This work, however, was not begun
until we had ascertained that 40
hardy thornless cactus adapted for
culture in this territory had been pro