THE CACTUS 147 



Such facts sufficiently attest the value of this 

 plant, as well as its palatability. 



The spines which have hitherto constituted the 

 one perennial drawback having now been re- 

 moved, and the plant itself having been made 

 to reveal new capacity for growth and for the 

 production of flesh and fruit of peculiar succu- 

 lence and food value, the cactus, as represented 

 by the new races of spineless Opuntias, must 

 take a leading place among forage plants in all 

 arid and semiarid districts, where the climate is 

 semitropical. 



THE CACTUS PRODUCES MANY MORE 

 OR LESS USEFUTL SUBSTANCES 



The chemical content of the cactus slabs de- 

 pends largely on the variety and also to a certain 

 extent upon the age of the slabs. 



The young shoots in the early period of their 

 growth have a very high water content, as is the 

 case with all succulent herbage. The amount of 

 crude fiber in the leaf at this stage may repre- 

 sent less than one per cent of the total bulk. 



On the other hand, the old slabs and the main 

 stalk of the plant take on a growing percentage 

 of woody fiber, which renders them less and less 

 palatable, but which adds to their value from 

 another standpoint, as will appear presently. 



