The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-24
Special 10 The Tribune.

Special 10 The Tribune.
MODENA. Oct. 2a.-In the desert or
seuii-arid lands OF Utah. dcspiscd almost
az much as the vcrmin and reptiles which
lnfes5 them, owing to its spincs and
tus. Notw outstanding It's spicUlar ha bit,
tuIs plant holds much that Is OF interest
TO The ob3crvant student and inNestl-
gator
In the late sprngtime. this lowly plant
bursts forth In splendid flower. rivaling
INC rich magenta hue of the wild rosc.
in exquisite shades of lemon yellow. or
delicate salmon tint; lighting up with
color the expansive reaches OF sand and
sage. away towards tho shImmornE hori-
zon 10 become mirased into carnival OF
color aud magnificent plant growth,
But so pricIely Il subject does not in
duce poe9y for long, and careless con-
tact with this plant Is certain to furnish
n quick incentive for bad prose.
For the past five years experiments
have been carried on AT Modcpa 10 bring
out The lurking virtues Of tho priclly
pear cactus and furbish UP It's r2prtatIon
corded, due consideration In economic
sEronomy al least.
Theses experiments wore started about
the time. five years ago. when the cor
respondent of Tho Tribune. at Modcua
claimed certain efficacy In cactus for
rheumatism, Ia being pricl<eJ by tho
spinsa OF this cactus. as asaiuyt the
Wcrc ~ that time going tho rounds OF
the press This efficacy OF the cactus
was not sustained. however, as the rhcu-
matte humans declined 10 avail them
selves Of the remedy, AS thcre Is only
ono way TO TAX full treatment. and that
Is TO ignore the existence OF the plant
and firmly and heavily SIT doWn IN q
spot as though no cactus he'd ever crown
there. The object of Tins article is, there
fore, to rescue this misunderstood plant
from oblivion and Tho contumely which
has been hcapod on Il.
I1. nnri ts At...l.
conducted with no single object In View.
so whlc various cactl Hero nropagated
to ascertain their value a stock food,
experiments In other directions 1ere con-
Quoted with interesting results
These experiments were Sc nearly con-
cludod during tho present month as 10
afford important data and yield assur-
anceS of much value.
At the beginning OF the experiments.
six varieties Of cactus were taken up
from the desert and reset in we'll TILED
soil
Observations during the first year.
confirm tho 5uspicion that the commonly
accepted idea that the cactl thrive best
~ their native state IS fallacy. Ard
time has proven that they simply exist
out Of sheer hsrdhood IN tne waste
places where found making no oXcep-
tional growth. Given proper cultivation.
their growth Is accelerated az - tho
case With any other plant. and I'm the
case Of tho prickly. pear the growth is
que phenomenal
Altar three years OF experimental grow
Ing. those of tho Echpopsis variety,
commonly called bali or cushion
cactus. and certain spicatc varieties
were discarded. owing to sloI1i"ss Of re-
production, and the common prickly'
pear selected. as being the. oulv variety
sufficiently prolific in growth TO assure
an annual crop, And FOR the past two
years this variety has been Cultivated
and observed at Modcnl
Experiments just concluded show that
the priclly pear oontainG up tn ono fifth
of its weight, clear. transparent vcye-
table nlbumen, the extraction of which.
with proper apparatus, ~ simple, the al
bumen containing unusual properties
which suggest number of commercial
possibilities.
Notwithstanding the past unusual
cul'ar. 1t is so NisciJ and yet lubricous
and cohesive that II may be drawn uD-
ward with the tips Of the fingers for
yards length without breaking its string
Like the darhys definition OF Kerosene,
It is slicker than grcHse.' and quite
elusive. II only small portion is per-
lnittnd 10 slip over the edge OF con
'aincr tho entire mass win follow after
w',h the lapidity and mDbiit. Of Il
serpent. This substance has medicinal