MANY USEFUL SUBSTANCES 

 IN CACTUS 



THE RICHNESS OF ITS CHEMICAL CONTENT 



THE chemical content of the cactus slabs 

 depends 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 represent 

 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. 



The slabs during the period of their best devel- 

 opment, when they would ordinarily be used for 

 forage, contain, according to chemical analysis, 

 from 2.71 per cent, to 4.6 per cent, of starch and 



[VOLUME VIII CHAPTER VIII] 



