FOOD AND FIBER PLANTS OF THE INDIANS. 37 



Fruit of the Cactus. — The prickly pears which grow on so 

 many species of cactus, differ very much among themselves, but quite 

 a large number are edible. The fruit of the giant cactus ( Cereus gi- 

 ganteus) is in size, consistence, and flavor, somewhat like a fig. The 

 plant sometimes grows to fifty feet in height, and flowers near the 

 summit, and since it can not be climbed on account of the spines by 

 which the trunk is thickly set, it is a matter of no little difficulty to 

 get at the fruit when it ripens. The Indians beat it off with stones, if 

 any chance to be near, and sometimes shoot it off with arrows. 



The fruit of many other species of Cereus is eaten and is doubt- 

 less nutritious, but the flavor is usually insipid, and, however, attract- 

 ive it may be, in the " eyes " which are scattered over the surface lurk 

 many minute, sharp, and brittle needles, which will penetrate the 

 tongue and lips, and cause great suffering to any one who bites it 

 rashly. The natives are always careful to wipe or brush off these 

 spines before the fruit is either handled or eaten. 



The Opuntias {palmate cactus) include a great number of species 

 differing considerably in size and habit. As among the other kinds 

 of cactus, the fruit is usually brilliantly colored, has a smooth and 

 spiny skin, and pulpy interior thickly set with seeds. Though gener- 

 ally somewhat tasteless, and sometimes having a disagreeable flavor, 

 the fruit of certain species is esteemed by the Mexicans and Indians, 

 and one species at least may be said to be cultivated for its fruit. This 

 is the Tuna, the gigantic Opuntia of Chihuahua and Sonora. Around 

 the old missions may be seen many of these plants, some of which 

 are so large that the fruit is gathered by the help of ladders ! Among 

 all the pi'ickly pears, however, the fruit of the strawberry cactus 

 ( Cereus strarnineus) is the most delicious. It is ovoid in form, as 

 large as the largest strawberry, of similar color and even finer flavor. 

 It grows sparingly in New Mexico and Chihuahua, and the fruit is 

 eagerly sought by men, birds, and insects ; so that, being a shy bearer, 

 the supply is decidedly behind the demand. 



Dr. V. Harvard, United States Army, who has given us much in- 

 teresting information in regard to the botany of the region bordering 

 the Rio Grande, mentions several other species of cactus, of which 

 the fruits are edible, viz., Cereus dasy acanthus, (Eng.), fruit sub-glo- 

 bose one inch in diameter, green or greenish-purple, when fully ripe 

 delicious to eat, much like a gooseberry ; and Echinocactus longeha- 

 matus, fruit one to two inches long, red, and as delicious as that of 

 the strawberry cactus. Of these I have collected the plants, but have 

 never seen the mature fruit. 



Nuphar polysepala (Western water-lily). In Oregon our yellow 

 water-lily {Nuphar advena) is represented by a species which resem- 

 bles it in flower, leaf, and habit, but differs from it in having a larger 

 number of sepals. The seed-pod is also larger, often having the size 

 and form of an egg, and being filled with seeds which are not unlike 



