588 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



ing branches of tropical agriculture. In the way of caution, it may 

 be noted that while cacao was formerly, and may again be made, of 

 seme agricultural importance in Porto Rico, the growing of cacao 

 as the only resource of the planter can not be advised, since this 

 crop is especially liable to loss through hurricanes, owing to the 

 fact that the large fruits are borne on very slender stems, which rise 

 directly from the old wood, and are thus very easily broken off and 

 destroyed. The Philippines, where cacao has long been cultivated, 

 should be the better field, not only because of the larger extent of 

 probably suitable land, but also because the relatively high value of 

 cacao renders the cost of shipment proportionally much less than 

 with sugar and other cheaper and more bulky products. (Y. B. 

 1901.) Cacao plantations have been established at Hilo, Hawaii, 

 with apparent success. (B. 170 B. P. I.) Cacao has received special 

 study. The cultivation of this crop is confined almost entirely to 

 humid localities, in accordance with the belief that such a climate 

 is necessary to the welfare of the tree. This belief is erroneous, and 

 it is expected that with better cultural methods the growing of this 

 important crop will become an established industry in all the tropi- 

 cal possessions of the United States. Millions of dollars are paid an- 

 nually by this country for tropical products grown outside of our 

 territory. The efforts of the Department have been in the direction 

 of encouraging the production of these crops, as already indicated, 

 in tropical dependencies. (Y. B. 1905.) 



Prickly Pear as a Farm Crop.* No attempts have hitherto been 

 made to cultivate prickly pear as a regular crop in this country. 

 The nearest approach to it was made by some of the old mission 

 fathers of California, who imported cuttings, probably from Mexico, 

 and planted them in hedges, where they served the double purpose 

 of barriers against stock and as food for man. That they received 

 any appreciable degree of cultivation, however, is very doubtful. 

 They were probably grown in much the same manner that the so- 

 called cultivated prickly pears are grown in Mexico to-day. An 

 extended use has been made of the native crop at various times for 

 the past fifty years or more in southern Texas, but it has mainly 

 been spasmodic, lasting only until "the drought was broken," ex- 

 cept for sheep and goats, which are fed on it regularly, and in the 

 case of the few dairymen who have made it a practice to feed it for 

 a portion of each year. There was little expectation that the plants 

 would respond to cultivation as they have done. It has proved itself 

 under cultivation not only an emergency feed but an insurance 

 against famine, as well as a plant which can be grown and depended 

 upon regularly as a farm crop. There are many points connected 

 with the various operations of planting, cultivating, and handling 

 of these plants that have not been fully demonstrated as yet. The 

 best that can be done in connection with some of these processes is 

 to give an account of the methods which have been used in these 

 experiments. It is expected, of course, that these will be improved 

 upon as experience in growing prickly pear becomes more exten- 

 sive. The main hay crop upon the ranch where the experiments 



* For illustration, see page 503. 



