THE CACTUS 121 



A SPINELESS RACE ACHIEVED 



From the outset I had been making hybridiz- 

 ing experiments in which I utilized in particular 

 the hardiest races of Opuntias that could be 

 found, choosing, of course, at the same time, 

 those that showed a tendency to produce rela- 

 tively sparse crops of spines. 



In this way I had developed races of cactus 

 that though small in size were hardy, and that 

 ultimately, after nine years' work, produced 

 specimens that were absolutely free from spines. 

 After the spines were gone, however, there re- 

 mained spicules, which grow in little clusters of 

 several hundred here and there over the surface 

 of the joint, and which are an even greater annoy- 

 ance than the larger spines to the plant experi- 

 menter, although they are sometimes ignored by 

 browsing beasts. At the present day absolutely 

 smooth ones have been produced on my grounds, 

 bearing handsome fruit of excellent quality. 



The hardy and partially spineless cactuses first 

 produced were hybridized, when my more exten- 

 sive experiments were under way, with the best 

 examples of the large Opuntias received from 

 all parts of the world. 



In making these crosses I bore in mind always 

 the condition of relative spinelessness, but also 



