NEW CREATIONS IN PLANT LIFE 
thousands of them at that very time practically 
thornless and spiculess, and all marching 
forward under his direction to produce a 
cactus which should not only have none of 
these undesirable things but which should 
have many others of distinct value to man. 
An indication of the wonderful growing 
powers of the new cactus is seen in the fact 
that in three years’ time a single plant from 
seed produces six hundred pounds of food. 
Another, and most important, feature of the 
new cactus is that it has begun to breed true 
to type, from the seed, while it, however, 
invariably persists from cuttings of the leaves. 
The cactus, as well as all other plants, 
stubborn or pliable, persists when once it has 
been definitely fixed in its new ways. Just as 
the cactus through all the ages has persisted in 
bearing thorns and persisted in filling its thalli 
with spicules, just so it will persist in getting 
along without them when once it has been 
fully broken of the habit of bearing them. So 
the new cactus begins a new era in its family, 
an era of unexampled prosperity, and the era 
of good will and not enmity to man. 
The possibilities of the new cactus have an 
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