LUTHER BURBANK 



the others. The fruit is rarely edible except for 

 stock. 



The Tapuna is also of rather exceptional com- 

 pactness of growth and has high nutritional value 

 as a forage plant. Moreover it is a much hardier 

 species than many others, resisting both cold and 

 wet better than most of the best Opuntias. 



So this species has characteristics of obvious 

 value from the standpoint of the plant developer. 

 The Question of Spinelessness 



But what about the matter of spines? 



This, of course, from the standpoint of the 

 present investigation, is the vital question. 



The question might be answered categorically, 

 with the statement that not a single one of the 

 Opuntias received from any source was altogether 

 spineless. Spineless forms of some of the other 

 genera are familiar, but it was early discovered 

 that the Opuntias must be looked to for the devel- 

 opment of a race of cactus that would have 

 economic value. And, as I said, no form of Opun- 

 tia was received, among all the hundreds of 

 specimens from various parts of the world, that 

 was altogether spineless and spiculeless. 



The form already referred to as the Anacantha, 

 of which specimens were received from Fairchild 

 and from others, came as near to spinelessness as 

 any other form of true Opuntia. 



[192] 



