New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-06
CACTI GOOD TO EAT.
An Entire Meal May Be Made from This
Desert Plant Say Scientists


Scientists who have been experimenting with the
cactus say that an entire meal. from soup des-
sert. may be made from its products. The SOUP Is
made from the roots. from which also -four may
be made. The leaves and stalks furnish salads and
other dishes. and the fruit may be eaten cooked
or raw Tor dessert All OF these foods are said
to Do delicious. but before the advent of Luther
Burbank the cactus kept them for it's own use ex-
cept when an occasional Indian or prOspector
stripped OF the spiny armor and rihed the Juicy
ana nouEishing interior. Hence says What to
Eat, the cactus has remained the useless product
OF useless land each seeming to mock mans
EFFORTS TO employ IL to commercial advantage.
But now a hand more sklful than the Indians
has torn away the spines. The cactus is disarmed
and II all that Is claimed for IL be true 1t is
destined to become one Of the most valuable plants
grown on American soil AS forage for stock 1t is
SAID 10 nave no equal and 1t appears be equally
valuable for human consumption.
THIS seems like miracle, but II Is simple that
II Is wonder no thought OF II before.
All desert plants have thorns. They had TO have
them. or they would survived In regions
where the other difficulties life are so great The
ancestors Of the cactus. living IN favored re-
gions. had a more gracious exterior. but as the
plant was driven by the struggle for existence to
the more iuhOspitable regions OF the earth IL de-
veioped the defences with which its name is assO-
ciated- Those that contrived born with spinas
| survived Those that did not fell victims to rab-
bits, prairie dogs, chipmunks and other hungry
animals The spines a response 10 the environ
| ment and on inaccessible mountain lodges where
there was no danger from animals. eacu were found
without spines.
Why. then. should not the pricky species be de-
/ prfved OF It's spines and made available for the
| use OF man? Luther Burbank could see no reason
| at ALL and he began the Investigations which are
| now being continued by the government and the
Carnegie Institute
ThS spineless mountain cactus furnished the
means for the assault upon the pricxy cactus of
the desert. The two were crossed and fntercrossed
| until a plant resembling the prfckIy cactus in
everything but its needles was produced. Now the
desert Is being secured for every variety OF plant
| possessing edible qualities and government farm
has been established near san Diego. Cal. where
these plants be grown and experiments conduct
/ ed. The Secretary ot Agriculture intends 10 ask
Congress for special appropriation for further ex
perfmentation. and II Is predicted that in another
year the desert will be poisoning as the rose lit
orally we'll hguratively, for the cactus has a
| beautiful blossom
The cactus thrives better IN the desert and T.,
l cultivation will redeem Jny quantity OF hilbert,
waste land without the expense OF irrigation. How
4 the plant manages 20 get on in these arid waste.
| IS mystery which science has not yet been able
| 70 explain but there II Is and the hotter the ali
/ pleased. 10 IS supposed % get IT'S moisture from
| the afr. although there doesn't appear to be any
moisture there for It 70 get. and It gets so much
OF ii that from 50 10 IS per OF It's substance
/ IL water.