Marble Hill press., 1921-08-04

pnr ~ co., H.fs' curious Hnd Interesting = ths
cact T. o.. "wrscai button ~ 'Veyoie" which
l. a strous s'.uulani ans allhys au hunger and
Thirst anE f.Isus or 'tc time hsius The Tars.
humsrc lrffHrs art ligifhoir. ~ N~trp make
a cult - 'rs 'p.v"'c- solug 90 !ous Itsrfnasrs
ln search Hs ' ana employing % bon u",iisiuaiJ
and rrllgHH.'y ~ cure fnF ail tsiiy us and
a powcrfr a.d - absfiusrce
o. crf'4'a parts = M~Vieo. sicily and sl~~
wh-rr th- natives I've almost sutirr'y 90 'rv~h
cactus frli. vhcn thry arr 70 sFssou. Th"J
grow them in cnrii.us auH oreharis suf 0'fen
gather them - dAwu aben thct ufe coolest si.
though their Temperature is always hsl"H that
- ,he surrounding air They arr also us.t IN
safsas preserves pictcf piih lefuoas tf'~'. FER
rH,r'~f - = l.sycfarr. made into syTup ra.is3
"fuHs honey" q thin paste called "tn"iro-fH. ~
'htt paste similar 20 suava i"ily. E''n 20
ss-4Is are ssHetiurss dTict ani .aycd g. u~s af"a
iNs fruits nrr suus
rhr barbados gs,seh~rry. uss~i f"r tnrTs sni
sau-,s ln The Wet iHdies = apils shais-l sod
H...r rated With small leaves ~ hrar's T." g.sai
T,rcskla ucli,an. Is sirsgEI.rE shrub MIA
slender branches. rrc.r,~d rrtctlcs glossy .ryrs
leaves and clusters u pale y"lloS nc~cfs
Tie pricsly pears o. tuuas are abundant ani
much used They arr resrshsp~d ~ g'nig!Ar.
weighing from an ounce Z" pound. rs-i. yellow
~ rurrle In co'or and usually sweet, though
sometimes acid m dayor II" skin cnuts'us rlns
,.rs =, tiny Spicnlcs 90 glechidla which are very
irritating II taken into the m"uih - that enr" 10
required In I~cling them. Thcy arr sometimes
chilled indian ngS 90 RArhary hsS h~-ause - no
numerous small sscds which thsy con'ain Ssy.
,ro, sf.e-ies 81 Opuntia arr cultivated FOR their
fruits as well as FOR their c,ilhlr Joints IN"
flowers arr large usually yellow or "rnngr, rarriy
rua" rrd.
Delicious fruits are ,hosc O, C"rrus pi,hhsyA
ard l,s relatives. THIS species grows 20 the
herht of Gn fr,f aud It's trunk reaches two and
a hnf feet in diameter. The fruit ss ga,hrr-i
a, dawn with long reed sticks armed With soy.
eral pronrs
The fruits o, Ccrcus gieantcus a handsome
cactus ~ the Southwest, arr also much estr-amr.l
either IN the fresh state preserved They arc
e,-,. shnr..d two or three inches long srpen go
the outside and crimson within. The strawberry
near obtained from cercus trianguiRris. ia r-sr~
shapca bright red. with slightly acid pulp max.
ing II desirable IN the fresh conflt'un or as an
Ingredient of the pepper pos" ~ she West In.
dies Excellent fruits are also produced by
tenatrroccrcus ,hurher and certain other large
tree cac,i and these ''p,tnhnyas" do M, have the
annoying prickies found In the fruits ct oponta.
.Garnmhuilas" ar the smrli currantIlke fruits
NJ Nvr-tncactus. They eaten fresh or dried
like raIsins TIE melon cact produce number
~ small edible fruits resembling tiny scarlet rad.
ish.s or red peppers The Mexican strawberry.
found on q species of hedgehog cactus, IL salmon.
~olored. two inches In length, and very sweet in
favor II gets its maine from It's numerous mi.
nr,a seeds Tatexo ngs. important 10 the natives
~ southern Puebla. are the fruits Of a species os
Pachycereus-
Although many Of the Wild eacti furnish vaiu.
able food for man and beast Il must he ad-
mitted that there In room for Improvement both
m the quantity and the quality Of this food
have visited Mr.. Burbank's experimental grounds
In California and fully realize the dficaity n
HIS task In dealing with the cacti and the impar.
tanre Of his results His problem was TO take a
yagrant. forbiddlng plant and dvest II Of lts
thorns and prfckes. breed out Its indigestihls
woody skeleton and Improve the size and favor
OF It's fruits.
The fruits Of the Burbank creations are over
three inches long usually yellow or red In color
and have navors NIL their own resembling those
Of peaches. melons, pneappies etc.