286 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



OPU 



like Opuntia are reddish or crimson. In 

 view of the commercial value of the product, 

 we shall next allude somewhat briefly to the 

 Nopalea (Opuntia) as connected with the cul- 

 tivation of the Cochineal insect, Coccus Cacti. 

 There are two species grown chiefly for this 

 purpose, the Nopalea coccinellifera and N. 

 Tuna. The first grows about eight feet high, 

 and its branches give it a tree-like appearance. 

 The stem and older branches are nearly round 

 and grayish in color, but the younger 

 growth is flat and deep green in color. The 

 joints are from six to twelve inches long, 

 oblong in form, mostly without spines, but 

 having, when young, a growth of fleshy leaves, 

 which soon drop off, leaving a scar and a tuft 

 of short wool and bristles. Though the name 

 coccinellifera, or cochineal bearing, has been 

 given to this particular species, it is not the 

 only one upon which this insect feeds, for in 

 Mexico N. Tuna is even more largely grown 

 for the same purpose. Nopaleries is the name 

 given to plantations for rearing the Cochineal 

 insect. The male only is winged, and some- 

 what resembles the Aphis, and the two are 

 not very distantly related to each other : both 

 feed in the same way, drawing the juices of 

 the plant through a proboscis. It is the 

 female, however, which yields the highly- 

 prized dye. A plantation will sometimes con- 

 tain from fifty to sixty thousand plants. The 

 plants are grown in rows, but are not allowed 

 to grow to their natural height for convenience 

 in handling. In the month of August the female 

 insects are placed on the plants, and in about 

 four months thereafter the first crop is fit to 

 be gathered, and another prepared for, three 

 being taken in the course of the year. When 

 fully grown the insects are brushed off and 

 dried in ovens, when they are ready for sale. 

 The value of this industry is such that the 

 Prickly Pear has been placed on the coat of 

 arms of the Mexican Republic. Though Mex- 

 ico is the native place of the Cochineal, it is 

 now largely grown in New Grenada and the 

 Canary Islands, and to a less extent in 

 some parts of southern Europe and Africa. 

 The annual produce amounts to thousands of 

 tons, the usual price being about two thous- 

 and dollars per ton, which gives us an idea 

 of the value of the industry. There are many 

 interesting facts connected with the Coccus 

 family, as regards both their natural history 

 and their commercial value which we must 

 pass over, simply remarking that it is to a 

 member of this family that we are indebted 

 for some of the best shell and other lacs. It 

 may be said of them, as it cannot be said of 

 most insects, that they make some amends for 

 the injury they do to plants. Of our native 

 species of Prickly Pear. O. vulgaris is the com- 

 mon Prickly Pear of New York and some of 

 the Eastern States. It is very hardy and tena- 

 cious of life, growing among the rocks where 

 there is scarcely sufficient soil to cover the 

 roots. Its flowers are bright yellow, very 

 handsome, and produced freely. There are 

 other American species which produce larger 

 and even handsomer flowers than O. vulgaris. 

 The other members of this order take pre- 

 cedence in the green-house, on account of 

 their rarity, and, in some instances, more 

 showy flowers. See Nopalea. 

 Opuntia'ceae. A natural order, now placed as 

 a sub-division of Cactacece. 



OKC 



Orache, or Mountain Spinach. See Atriplex. 

 Orange. See Citrus. 



Orange-flower Tree. Philadelphus coronarius. 

 Orange Gourd. Cucurbita Pepo aurantia. 

 Orange Grass. Hypericum Sarothra. 

 Orange Osage. See Madura. 

 Orange Root. Hydrastis Canadense. 

 Orbicular. Nearly round and flat. 



Orchard. Fruits of all kinds are now so 

 extensively used, that there are few country 

 gardens large enough to give a sufficient 

 supply of fruit, even if it were desirable to 

 grow many fruit trees in a vegetable garden. 

 It is often necessary therefore to establish an 

 orchard from which to supply the ordinary 

 demands for the larger fruits. As these trees 

 will last a generation or longer, and as many 

 of them are several years before they come 

 into bearing, any error, therefore, made in 

 the selection of kinds, is a serious one. 

 Whenever practicable, the purchase of trees 

 for the orchard should be made direct from 

 the nurserymen whose reputation is beyond 

 question. Many thousands of farmers, and 

 others, in nearly every section of the country 

 have been victims of irresponsible tree 

 peddlers, who, either from ignorance or 

 design, have palmed upon their unfortu- 

 nate patrons, apples, pears, peaches, plums, 

 and other fruit-trees, which, after years of 

 anxious waiting for, have proved entirely 

 worthless. The safest plan therefore, is to 

 purchase direct from the nearest reliable 

 nurseryman, keeping in view the point that it 

 is best always to buy trees grown North of 

 your latitude, and not to plant too many 

 varieties, but only those that are found to 

 do best in your locality. 



The soil and its preparation for the orchard 

 are also vital matters. For most fruits a 

 deep and rather sandy loam is best, but, as in 

 all other crops, it is useless to plant trees un- 

 less the soil is free from water, and if draining 

 is necessary it must be thoroughly done. (See 

 draining.) A limestone gravelly soil is best 

 for apples ; pears succeed best upon good clay 

 loams ; plums require a rather moist soil for 

 the best results, and peaches must have a 

 warm light sandy loam with a somewhat 

 heavier subsoil, but well drained, either 

 naturally or artificially. The location of an 

 orchard is quite important. Apples and 

 peaches do best upon hilly or roiling ground, 

 while pears and plums do well in low lands. 

 A western exposure, and in some cases a 

 northern slope, is preferable to any other, for 

 all fruits. A southern slope is the worst of 

 all, as the trees in such a case are forced by 

 the sun's warmth into a too early growth, arid 

 often suffer from late spring frosts, which 

 destroy the blossom, while the more back- 

 ward trees upon western and northern slopes 

 are uninjured. The advantage of a western 

 slope is that it escapes the morning sun, 

 which is sometimes injurious after a cold 

 frosty night, while it enjoys the last of the 

 evening sun and so gets a large share of 

 warmth which remains during the night. 



THE PREPARATION OP THE SOIL and the man- 

 ner of planting the trees are of the utmost im- 

 portance, and should be thoroughly well done. 

 A rich soil is not required. If the land is able 

 to produce a good crop of corn, potatoes or 



