340 Select Plants for Industrial Culture and 



nutritive substance to be contained in these kinds of plants. They 

 would best serve in almost rainless regions, remaining sappy at all 

 times. 



Opuntia Dillenii, Haworth. 



Central America. A Tuna-like Cactus, serving for uninflammable 

 hedges, and perhaps also for the rearing of the Coccus Cacti. It is 

 particularly eligible for barren land, but apt to stray beyond bounds 

 in hot countries. 



Opuntia elatior, Miller. 



Central America. A hedge-plant with formidable thorns. 



Opuntia Pious Indica, Miller. 



Called inaptly, with other congeners, Indian Fig. Central America, 

 north as far as Florida. Serves for big hedges. Pulp of fruit edible. 

 Exudes a gum, somewhat like Tragacanth. 



Opuntia Hernandezii, De Candolle. 



Mexico. Also affords food for the Coccus Cacti. 



Opuntia Missouriensis, De Candolle. 



From Nebraska to New Mexico. Very hardy. Professor Meehan 

 found this Cactus covered with the Cochineal-Coccus, and points to 

 the fact, that this insect will live through the intense cold, which 

 characterizes the rocky mountains of the Colorado-regions. 



Opuntia Rafinesquii, Engelmann. 



A prickly Pear of North America. The most northern of all 

 species, extending to Lake Michigan. It resists severe frosts, as do 

 also O. brachyantha, O. Comanchica, O. humilis [Mayer], O. 

 Whipplei, O. oplocarpa, O. arborescens and Mammillaiia Missouriensis 

 [Locler, Meehan]. 



Opuntia spinosissima, Miller. 



Mexico and West-Indies. Stem columnar, with pendent branches. 

 Also a good hedge-plant. Harding recommends for hedges, besides 

 these species, 0. maxima (Miller) as the most repellent. 



Opuntia Tuna, Miller. 



West-Indies, Ecuador, New Granada, Mexico. Irrespective of its 

 value as a principal cochineal-plant, this cactus is also of use for 

 hedges. It will attain a height of 20 feet. The pulp of the fruit is 

 edible. With many other species hardy anywhere in Australia down 

 to the south-coast. Of Cochineal Great Britain imported in 1884 

 14,100 cwt., value 80,000. 



