ON THE SPINELESS CACTUS 



There is a very small and very tender species 

 that is allied to the Opuntias, but is generally 

 classified as a Nopalia, which was received from 

 various parts of California and Mexico, as well as 

 from the Hawaiian Islands, the Philippines, and 

 from Europe, under various names, which is 

 altogether spineless. 



But this species is very sensitive to frost or to 

 excessive heat, and in general succumbs to any 

 untoward conditions so readily as to be valueless 

 for this purpose, besides not being relished by 

 any stock. 



We have already referred to the fact that there 

 are absolutely spineless forms of the genera 

 Epiphylliim and Cereus. 



These, indeed, have been well known to me for 

 fifty years, and are familiar to all students of 

 plant life. But, as just noted, investigations 

 showed that the genus Opuntia must be depended 

 on for material with which to build an economic 

 race of spineless cactus. 



My experiment, it will be understood, was. 

 intensely practical in its aim from the outset. 



It wds not at all my thought merely to produce 

 an interesting race of spineless cactus of diversi- 

 fied forms. 



The spineless cactus of my ideal was one that 

 would have practical value as a forage plant; one, 



[193] 



