Mar. 2, 1920.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. 195 



Qiats about the Prickly Pear* 



No. 2. 



J. H. MAIDEN, I.S.O.. F.R.S., F.L.S., 

 Government Botanist and Director, Botanic Gardens, Sjdney. 



Its Minor Uses. 

 In order that the way may be cleared for the consideration of the major 

 !use of prickly pear — that is, as stock feed — the minor uses of the pest may 

 first be indicated. The uses of prickly pear by various peoples are 

 summarised by Dr. D. Griffiths, at p. 41 of Bulletin No. 74, U.S. Department 

 •of Agriculture, as follows : — 



1 . The fruits of not less than a dozen Mexican species are delicious, and would form a 

 Taluable addition to our fruit supply. 



2. Very palatable jellies are manufactured from the fruits of some species, and could 

 doubtless, under proper commercial methods, be put upon the market as choice delicacies, 

 if the plants can be successfully grown in sufficient numbers. 



3. The young joints are boiled for food as greens by the Mexican people. 



4. The young joints are manufactured into pickles. 



5. The young joints are chopped into small pieces and dried for future use. 



6. The expressed juices are used by the Mexicans for mixing with whitewash for 

 ■exterior work. 



7. Manj' species are used for hedges, borders, fences, and other useful or ornamental 

 plantings. 



8. The pulp of the group of cacti known to the Mexicans by the name of visnaja 

 [plants allied to the prickly pear — J.U.M.]. is boiled with sugar in the manufacture of 

 •cactus candy. 



9. The soft, pulpy tissues of cacti, being very retentive of moisture, are admirably 

 -adapted and extensively used for poultices. 



10. Some species yield valuable [? — J.H.M.] drugs. 



11. Before the development of the coal-tar dyes some of the species were largely used 

 -as hosts for the cochineal insect. 



12. The peculiar reticulations of the vascular system of many species are taken 

 •advantage of in the manufacture of an endless variety of art goods. 



The following minor uses may be briefly touched upon .-—(I) The fruit 

 as human food; (2) alcohol; (3) fibre; (4) mucilage (as a component of 

 whitewash) ; (5) dye ; (6) miscellaneous. 



1. — The Fruit as Human Food. 



We have two publications of an exhaustive character which deal with 

 this subject, and show how important the fruits of some (not our pest pear) 

 Are in the dietary of the Mexicans. They are " The Tuna as a food for 

 man," being Bulletin No. 64, New Mexico (U.S.) College of Agriculture, 

 &c., by K. F. Hare and D. Griffiths (April, 1907), and " The Tuna as food 

 ior man," Bulletin No. 116, Bureau of Plant Industry, U.S. Department of 

 Agriculture, by D. Griffiths (December, 1907). 



