154 



The Tuna. 



P. W. Reasoner, in the American Oarden (xi. 532), in writing of 

 'native Florida cactuses,' gives the following interesting account of 

 the occurrence of two species of tunas in that State: 



'Next, and of more importance, is Opuntia tuna. This famous 

 species, so well known as a hedge plant in Mexico and the West 

 Indies, abounds on every high, sandy beach from Tampa bay around 

 Miami, and, perhaps, still farther north on the east coast. It quite 

 often grows in impenetrable masses, four or five feet high, and is 

 characterized by large oval joints, six or eight inches long. It is 

 covered with two sets of spines, some small and chafF-like, but whose 

 close acquaintance is not to be courted, and others an inch or more 

 long, as sharp and strong as needles, and quite as formidable as any 

 cactus we have seen. The yellow flowers almost invariably have a 

 rosy tinge, and the plant is beautiful, both when in bloom and when 

 covered with the large, rich, purple berries or prickly pears. 



'Besides its use in tropical America as a hedge plant, it is used as 

 one of the principal cochineal plants. It is quite hardy and will 

 stand several degrees of frost unharmed. The fruits, covered with 

 occasional tufts of small chaff-like prickles, are two or three inches 

 long, somewhat pear-shaped and pumpkin-colored. They are pro- 

 duced in the greatest profusion. We know of an array of glasses of 

 marmalade, and jars of the richest wine-colored sweet-pickles, made 

 from the fruit, and as tempting as an epicure could wish. 



'Equally famous is O. ficus-indica, the 'Indian fig' cactus. This 

 species has escaped from cultivation and has become naturalized in 

 a few places in south Florida, especially on Key West. It, also, is 

 very hardy, and would doubtless prove so in north Florida. It is a 

 most striking and picturesque plant, attaining, in a few years from 

 the cutting, a height of ten or twelve feet, with immense flat joints 

 a foot or even fourteen inches in length. The scale-like spines often 

 drop off and leave the surface perfectly smooth, so it is not very 

 prickly nor difficult to handle. The fruits are larger than those of 

 Opuntia tuna, and are yellow in color. The pulp is sweet and has 

 very few seeds. It is very much liked by most people who are 

 familiar with it, and we have seen those who preferred it to such 

 popular and delicious fruits as the orange and banana The fruits 

 are known as 'Indian figs' in the West Indies, and stray specimens 

 occasionally find their way into the New York market from some 

 West Indian vessel.' 



In Oai'dsn and Forest I have called attention in a note to the 

 possibility that the manufacture of syrup from the fruit of the 

 opuntia may at no far distant day become an important industry in 

 Southern California. The juice of the fruit which these plants pro- 

 duce in great abundance, may be extracted in a cider press like the 

 juice from apples, and boiled down to a fruity syrup indistinguisha- 

 ble in flavor from that inanufactured from the watermelon. Excel- 

 lent vinegar or wine may also be made from the juice. Three 



