NEW CREATIONS IN PLANT LIFE 



nearly an inch in thickness, bearing fruit of 

 large size, not a thorn upon it, not a spicule in 

 all its rich meat, — the bitter enemy of the 

 desert converted into an abiding friend of 

 man. 



In creating this edible, thornless cactus Mr. 

 Burbank took into account a thousand and 

 one things which may find no mention here, 

 but one of them which may be noted shows 

 how persistently practical is all his work. It 

 takes much of the vital forces of the cactus to 

 make its powerfully constructed thorns and to 

 supply its thalli with spicules. In breeding 

 these away from it he gives to Nature the 

 opportunity to devote all her energies to 

 the production of food and fruit, and this will 

 have a most important bearing upon the 

 future ; he has not only transformed the 

 cactus as to its product but has, in removing 

 these thorns and spicules, provided a means 

 for vastly increasing this product. 



The fruit of the new cactus is in shape quite 

 like a fat cucumber slightly flattened at both 

 ends. It is about two and one-quarter inches 

 in diameter by three and a half inches long. 

 Sometimes it is a beautiful yeUow in color, 



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