The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-12-02
USE OF CACTI SAVES STOCK
IN Times Of Drought the splneless Va
riety Proves an Excellent
Forage for Cattle.
By f. O wooton. Botanlst of New Mex

(By r. o. Wooton. Botanst of New Mex
leo Experiment Station)
AFTER all that has been written con.
corning spineless cactus as a forage
plant 1t would seem somewhat SUI
perhuous to call the attention OF stock
men TO the value of the cacti upon
their ranges during the dry season of
the year. But the mental step between
spiny cacti and spineless ones seems
TO be long one, and one that few
take readily.
l quote from a bulletin by the bu-
reau of plant industry. THE Prickly
Pear and Other Cacti as a Food for
Stock by DR.. David Grifiiths: Prick
iy pear, although poor in nutritive
quality, can be fed to decided advan-
tage under several conditions and for
several purposes: "a To save cattle
during prolonged drought when other
more nutritive food is scarce"
Now this statement applies to any
kind of cactus that is big enough to
furnish any quantity of forage, being
especially true of the prickly pears
and cane cacti. The truth of this
statement is vouched for by many who
have tried it.
This is by no means the only use
for cacti, but at the season of the year
when all feed is dry and there is very
little OF 1t, when the water supply Is
poorest, it would seem to be a most
important one.
This article is written to call the
attention of those stockmen who have
already availed themselves of the sup
ply, and more especially those who
are losing stock, to the fact that they
probably have upon their ranges for.
age which may be available to their
stock by a little work.
Spineless cacti will not grow in the
open range. In fact. their thorns
and spines together are one of the
characters that make 1t impossible for
cacti of any kind to live on the open
ranges. And even this defensive armor is
insufficient to protect them from a
number of enemies. But the spines
do protect them from stock, and be
fore they can be made into stock feed
| tuC Splht Dt uGSIIOytu.
Fortunately the spines burn readily
hence is is possible to SINCE them off
without affecting the stems, and sc
come at the forage.
Two ways of burning spines have
been shown to be practicable. One Is
to cut the stalks with machete or 6
sharp spade and hold them in the
blaze of a brush fire with pitch
fork. The other is to SINCE them OF
the plants as they stand with a gaso
line torch specially made for the work
This torch is made on the principle o
an ordinary plumbers torch, with ,
rather long pipe for the reservoir ant
one that may be turned in different di
rections. Gasoline is a fuel and Il
used under pressure and mixed will
air, so it is very essential that al
joints be gas-tight and be kept fire.
of gasoline; otherwise serious explc
sions may occur.
The torch method is much the NOR
rapid and less laborious Experience
has shown that 1t is well to have
good pressure in the tank and avoi
using the torch in the wind as nue.
as possible, since this materially In
creases the amount of smuggling.
Considering the fact that we have
period of shortage of feed and waite
each year in the spring and early sum
mer, and periodic occurrences of year
that are drier than usual at that time
1t would seem but a sensible thing TO
stockmen to encourage the growth O
cacti upon those parts of their range
where grass and better forage do no
grow well; this is to be done with tn
idea of preparing for the lean year
The easy way of planting cacti is t
scatter the separate joints over tn
ground. They will take root withou
covering. The work may be done a
any season Of the year, though
larger per cent. of the joints will roo
during the rainy season, This state
ment applies to the lower and hottie
| southern end of the Territory