The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-20

| "ranchera" These, indeed. are only n
few out Of many
Such cacti i'm Mexico arc cultivated sim
ply by planting cuttings in the ground
and surrounding thclh with a fence to keep
out animals. They rarely receive any
| further attention, beyond gathering the
annual crop. The fruits. however, are
utilized for IL number OF different pur
poses, some OF them being eaten raw,
while others are employed in the manu- manu-
! cheese" which are marketable products.
| To make tuna honey. tho juice of the
fruits is boiled In kettles until it reaches
me consistency OF molasscs. and then
| is poured into wooden troughs 10 cool.
! after which ii is stored in bottles and
carthen jugs. Being (hanks 10 the boil
ing) a sterile product. tightly sealed. and
| OF course. it docs not taste like honey;
! but is IL about the same consistency as
/ liquid honey, and might appropriately be
called CactuS moldSscE
one Of the most mighty priced fruits OF
this kind is th" cardona. Mr.. David
IGrifiiths OF the eoyerum"nt plant bureau
donas in a day. This was 10 find out
! whether they were wholesome or not.
Even such quantity did not disagree
with him at al. But IL should bc real
lied that the pulp Of the carduna, which
is the only pgrc eaten - nearly all water.
Th" fruit. in flct frequently serves the
natives a2 both food and drink in the
arid regions Of IEc southwest.
4 I'm the structure uf IN" Cardona the
walls Of tho cells that hold the juice arc
very thin. so that there is only a small
amount of fiber BY pressing the pulp
In muslin bags practically all Of IT can be
| forced through. separating out tn" seeds.
/ Perhaps tG" greatest org Ctnr TO these
! cactus fruits lies i'm Tn" picuifUlnesS or
their seyGs. but persons accustomed 10
eating them 'aw do not Sc"m To mind.
When the pulp is taken in the manner
above Described. il is s@PalatcC In the
fIold ara carried in cnrthcn Jars to tho
factory ~ th| plCEgrS.
Sometimes fermcntcd drink is made
from the pulp. Tor this PURPOSE 1t is
boiled for Two ar three hours. strained,
| and set away to cool. Tile longer it.
stands the more Intoxicating 1t is. Or,
II preferred. a.. boiling is yon,lTH%d unul
I'm, i'uuid IS reduced 10 the consistency
ol paste, which is sold IN the Mexican
markets as y sU""tmcat. Thcr" an" other
products made from ia. pulp or from
the Juice on" OF them being the TUNA
! cheese" aforementioned. which is put up
Tor sale ~ neat little bricks, covered with
tluroil
The problem Of storing supply OF
water Tor ,heir own use, and OF pre-
venting its oVaporAt!ou has been solved
b. Inc desert plants IN many most m
gcnioUs ways. Perhaps the Tost note
worthy example is The so-cailad water
barrel" which, of about ih" size and
shape ~ an ordinary becr-lIrS, is, In
fact nothing more nor loss than n living
watcr-iank. It's whole i8ierio! is COM
posed OF storage cells, 50 admirably ar
ranged that tho pull which they form
contains SplnrtOlnS IKE 9b per cent OF
pure water. The water indeed. Is Of
excellent quality; and access to It is
easily obtained by cutting OF with a
macbete the top Of the ''bGrre" which
lis covered all over with formidable
spikes and hooked spines. evidently de-
signed 10 protect il against destruction
b. animals.
In the valley of tho Rio Grandc there
grows. on barren and rocky soil. q queer
little cactus that looks ike a small rad
Iish covered with sharp priclEles. In the
top OF each plant is peculiar tuft about
Lam inch in diameter. which, when dried
is hard and brittle and has somewhat the
appcayance OF q button One of these
buitons put Into the mouth. quickly
softsns. the taste OF IL being rather un-
pleasant; but two on three, when chcwed
and swallowed. VIII produce strongly
InMic effect. cngerdering visions some
v,LaI like those induced by hasheesh
The Indians OF that region eat the but
tons on occa sions Of religious ccremo-
NAL and regard the consequent dreams
q" revelations from the dlvlnitic9 they
worship. Science has given 10 this cac-
rus the name Anhalonium 1.ewinii. Specl-
mems OF the buttons have been anal wed
ana have bocn found 10 contain NTH
erto unknown all<aioid- ss''"''"' "'f "