LUTHER BURBANK 



The cactus leaves when fried are a substitute 

 for some of the poorer vegetables. Tender leaves 

 should be selected, the skin peeled off, and the 

 plants fried rapidly in butter. Appetizing pre- 

 serves may be made from the fruit, somewhat 

 after the manner of apple butter. The fruit itself 

 may be dried and thus preserved for winter use. 

 With the production of 100 tons an acre, there is 

 opportunity to preserve the fruit on a commercial 

 scale, if a sufficient market for it can be developed. 



To me it seems that the cooked fruit lacks the 

 fine flavor of the raw fruit. In general the fruit 

 may perhaps be served to best advantage as a 

 salad. But I have on several occasions had jars 

 of delicious jams, made from cactus fruit, sent me 

 from different localities. 



The fact that the fruit of the perfected Opun- 

 tias contains a high sugar content, amounting 

 sometimes to from 12 to 16 per cent., makes it 

 obvious that this plant might be used for the pro- 

 duction of methyl alcohol. The slabs may be used 

 for the same purpose, and the enormous produc- 

 tivity of the plant would make amends for the 

 comparatively low percentage of fermentable 

 starch in its composition. 



As A FAMINE PREVENTER 



It has been estimated that the improved Opun- 

 tias produce foliage and fruit so abundantly that 



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