144 LUTHER BURBANK 



floor back of a cookstove, in the pocket of a 

 winter overcoat, lying on a writing desk, and in 

 similar unlikely places. 



The Opuntias differ from nearly all the other 

 plants in that cuttings must first be wilted before 

 they will grow (unless in the dry, heated part of 

 summer) ; after which nothing grows more 

 readily. 



When you receive cuttings, place them in some 

 warm, sunny place, and allow them to remain a 

 week or more, after which they will readily form 

 roots and start to grow almost anywhere. They 

 may best be planted so that about one-third of 

 the cutting is below the soil. The cutting may 

 be planted in an upright position, or at any 

 angle such details make no difference to the 

 Opuntias. 



On fairly good soil, to provide a forage field 

 for stock feed, the giant Opuntias should be 

 planted alternately in two rows together at in- 

 tervals of three or four feet, according to variety, 

 and then a space of ten or twelve feet left, and 

 another pair of rows planted in the same way. 

 This has been found to be the best way to plant 

 the cactus, as by this arrangement space is left 

 for general cultivation and for gathering the 

 crop; otherwise the plants would too completely 

 cover the ground. 



