Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1908-11-06
DR.. TINKER BELIEVES THE
THORNLESS CACTUS VALUABLE

culture In this territory had been pro
duced or found.
There are many thornless cacti
growing in Mexico and many of these
have been introduced in the southern
part of Europe. where their value for
stock feeding and for their fruits have
long been known. These cacti ana
others from Mexico and South Ameri-
ca have been improved by Luther
Burbani.. but all are semi-tropicaI
plants that will stand only 20 degrees
Fahrenheit, and would be killed In
this climate by the first hard freeze
in November.
1t has been proposed to treat these
thornless plants like potatoes and try
their culture here They would have
to be planted out every spring, anu
put into storage bcfLre frost every
fall. II Mr.. 4urbL1ks' Santa Rosa
cactus will produce annually 200,OUU
pounds OF feed to the acre as alleged,
and If farmer had I60 acres OF
these plants, It would require a frost
proof storage house nearly a mile
long In which 70 store them, and a
large number VI mea and teams to
harvest and replant them every spring
and fall. That sucl. a plant could be
profitably cultivated here is doubtful.
Our native cactus is perfectly hardy,
needs no coddling, and can undoubted-
ly be made as productive on our soils
as any of Burbanks' creations.
In searching for the best wild
plants we found a place In the noun
tafns where the natural conditions for
the development of cactus were per
feet The plants were greatly super
ior in every way TO anything we have
found. They were large ieaved and
productive and some of the fruits
were palatable. These plants we nave
transplanted to our gardens where
they have grown finely. 1t Is believed
that if by any mishap these plants
lhoGld he destroyed 1t would be &
great loss to the territory and prob
ably to humanity, for we have doubt
IL such fine plants can be sound else
where In the territory on which to be-
gin The work of Improvement.
II has been held by some that
hardy cactus suited to our climate
can be developed IN California or 9TH
er localities where the environments
are not the same as the plant must
endure here, but high authority among
our government officers assert that a
successful cactus must be produced
on the ground wnere the plant is
needed. A cactus developed in the
central part of the territory could, no
doubt, be successfully grown in every
part of it since the conditions in every
part are much the same.
Cultivation greatly increases the
growth and output Of the cactus. Ex-
periments made in 2exas prove that
culture win increase the production
eight times what it would be under
natural conditions. AS the cactus
needs no water beyond the natural
rainfall, dry farming is best adapted
to its successful culture so that every
foot of our waste land, even to the
tops of the mountains, can be reclaim
ed by it. 1t is estimated that 1t would
take about 100 acres of range to sup
port he year around five head OF cat
tie, but under cactus culture and feed
ing, the same land would support 100
head, or the output of beef in this
territory can be increased by means
of cactus culture il regions that can
not be irrigated, twenty fold. Such an
Increase would no doubt more than
pay the cost of culture and make this
7 land which is so highly adapted 10
stock raising of all kinds one of the
= richest states in the union.