61-2 
The proven plants of this order are: the Jamaican Cactus grandiflorus, Linn, 7 
the beautiful Night-blooming Cereus, whose ephemeral flowers are remarkable for _ 
their exceeding size and fragrance ; Cereus Lonplandi, Parm.; and C. serpentinus, 
Haw. No other species are used in medicine, though many furnish both food and 
drink to those compelled to pass over the barren wastes which this order mostly 
habits, the pulpy fruits and succulent joints, deprived of their coat of mail, being 
acid and aqueous toa high degree. Mr. J. R. Dodge* speaks as follows of the 
species used by the American Aborigines : 
“ Echinocactus Wislizent.—A section of the stem is often employed as a cook- 
ing vessel. The seeds are small and black, but, when parched and pulverized, 
make good gruel and even bread. The pulp of the fruit is rather sour, and not 
much eaten. Travellers in passing through the cactus wastes often resort to this 
plant to quench their thirst, its interior containing a soft, white, watery substance, — 
of slightly acid taste, which is rather pleasant when chewed. It is a common sight 
to see on each side of the road these plants with a large perforation made by the © 
thirsty traveller. An Indian, when travelling, and wishing to make a meal, selects 
a large plant, three feet or more long and two in diameter, cuts it down and hol- 
lows it out so as to forma trough ; into this he throws the soft portions of the 
pulpy substance which surrounds the central woody axis, and adds meat, roots, © 
seeds, meal, fruits, or any edible thing on hand; water is added, and the whole 
mixed together; stones are then highly heated and dropped into the mixture, and, — 
as they cool, are taken out, licked clean, reheated, and returned to the cooking ves- 
sel, until the mixture is thoroughly boiled. This is a favorite dish with the Yabapais 
and Apaches of Arizona. The Papajo Indians pare off the rind and thorns of — 
large plants of this species of cactus, letting it remain several days to bleed, when 
the pulp is pared down to the woody axis, cut up into suitable pieces, and boiled — 
in syrup of the Cereus giganteus or Cereus Thurberi. If a kind of sugar which is 
made by the Mexicans is attainable, it is employed instead of the syrup, thus form-. 
ing a good preserve. These pieces, when taken out of the liquid and dried, are as — 
good as candied citron, which they much resemble in taste and substance. eet. 
“Prickly pear (Opuntia Engelmant, O. vulgaris, O. Camanchica, O. Rafines- 
quit, O. occidentalis) —The fruit of these species of cactus is much eaten by all the 
Indians of New Mexico, Arizona, California and Utah, under the common Spanish 
name of ¢wnas, great quantities being dried for use in the winter. These plants | 
grow in arid desert localities which produce nothing better; they are large and 
of a bright red to purple color; of a rather pleasant, sweet, somewhat acid taste, 
and have thin skins and rather large seeds, which are discarded. The skin 1s 
studded with bunches of very fine downy spines, which the Indians brush off wit 
a bunch of grass. The Apaches use wooden tongs to gather the fruit, to prevent 
being scratched by these spines or the thorns of the plant. The Pawnees and | 
Papajoes dry the unripe fruit of the Opuntia for future use, to be cooked with © 
meat and other substances. The fresh unripe fruit is often boiled in water Eronty 
ten to twelve hours, until soft, when it becomes like apple-sauce; then, being — 
allowed to ferment a little, it becomes stimulating and nutritious. Some Indians © 
roast the leaves of the Opuntia in hot ashes, and, when cooked, the outer skin, 
* U.S, Agric. Repts., 1870, 417-418. 
