The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1921-08-05

One Of the most curious and interesting Of thu
cacti is the ''nescal button" or 'peyOte," which
is a strong stimuant and allays all munger anu
thirst and fatigue for the time being. The Tara
humare Indians and HuichOles of Mexico make
Il cult of the "peyOte." going on long pilgrimages
in search of it and employing it both incidentally
and relgiously as a cure for all bodily Ills ana
a powerful aid to abstinence.
In certain parts of Mexico Sicily and else
where the natives live almost entirely on freSh
cactus fruits when they are in season. Ihey
grow them in gardens and orchards and often
gather them at dawn when they are coolest al
though their temperature is always below that
of the surrounding air They are also used IN
salads preserves, picked with lemons, dried. fer
mented as a beverage, made into syrup called
ttuno honey" a thin paste called ''melcOcha, or
a thick paste similar to guava jelly. Even the
seeds are sometimes dried and saved to use when
the fruits are gone.
The Barbados gooseberry, used for tarts and
sauces in the West Indies, is apple-shaped and
decorated with small leaves or bracts. The plant.
Pereskia acueata, is struggling shrub with
slender branches, recurved prickles, glossy-green
leaves and clusters of pae-yelow flowers.
The prickly pears, or tunas, are abundant and
much used They pear-shaped or globular,
weighing from an ounce to a pound red, yellow,
or purple in color and usually sweet, though
sometimes acid in flavor. The skin contains clus-
Irritating If taken into the mouth, so that care is
reouired in peeling them. They are sometimes
called Indian figs Barbary figs because OF the
numerous small seeds which they contain. Sew
eral species of Opunta are cultivated for their
fruits as we'll as for their edible joints The
flowers are large usually yellow or orange, rarely
rose or red.
Delicious fruits are those Of Cereus pitahaya
and its relatives This species grows to the
height of so feet and it's trunk reaches two and
a half feet in diameter. The fruit is gathered
st dawn with long reed sticks armed with sew
eral prOngs
The fruits of Cereus giganteus, handsome
cactus of the Southwest, are also much esteemed
either in the fresh state or preserved They are
eeg-shaped two or three inches long, green OF
the outside and crimson within. The strawberry
near obtained from Cereus triangulars, is pear
shaped brightred, with slightly acid pulp max
ing ii desirable in the fresh condition or MI
ingredient of the pepper pot of the West In
dies Excellent fruits are also produced by
LemaireOcereus thurberi and certain other large
tree-caet and these "pitahayas' do not lbsve the
annoying nrickes found in the fruits of o1nntia.
"Garambullas' are the small currantlike fruits
of MyrtillocactUs. They eaten fresh or dried
like raisins The melon cacti produce number
of small edible fruits resembling tiny scarlet rad
isbes or red peppers. The Mexican strawberry.
found on a species of hedgehog cactus. is salmon-
colored two inches in length, and very sweet in
flavor 1t gets its name from its numerous mi
mute seeds Teteze figs, so important to The natives
of southern Puebla, are the fruits of species of
Pachycereus.
Although many Of the wild cacti furnish vaiu
able food for man and beast 1t must be ad
mitted that there Is room for Improvement both
in the quantity and the quality Of this food.
have visited Mr.. Burbank's experimental ground.
i'm California and fully realize the difficulty Of
his task in dealing with the cacti and the impor
lance of his results His problem was to fake
vagrant, forbdding plant, and divest il of til
thorns and priceless breed out its ind:gesth!,
woody skeleton and improve the size aud flavor
of its fruits.
The fruits of the Burbank creations owe,
three inches long. usually yellow or red In color
and have nayors all their own, resembling hos.
Of peaches. melons, pineapples. etc.