THE THORNLESS EDIBLE CACTUS 



enormous scope. The desert land on the globe 

 is estimated to be two billion, seven hundred 

 millions of acres, an area six thousand square 

 miles larger than the area of the United States 

 inclusive of its insular possessions. All this 

 save, perhaps, in some case where absolutely 

 no rain falls, may be reclaimed for food for 

 man and beast if needs be. The regions known 

 as steppes, much of which is semi-arable, is 

 estimated at nearly nine billions of square 

 miles additional, practically all of which may 

 be utilized for the new cactus. The fertile 

 regions of the globe are considerably larger 

 than both these regions, some twenty-nine 

 millions of square miles, over sixteen billions 

 of acres. On every foot of fertile soil the 

 cactus will grow with still greater rapidity 

 than in the desert, for it takes on a new and 

 powerful impulse under cultivation. 



These figures give something of the possi- 

 bilities. In Mr. Burbank's own words: 



"The population of the globe may be 

 doubled and yet, in the immediate food of the 

 cactus plant itself and in the food animals 

 which may be raised upon it, there would still 

 be enough for all." 



157 



