NEW CREATIONS IN PLANT LIFE 



Analyses of Four Samples of Thornless Cacti Received from 

 Luther Buhbaxk, Santa Rosa, California, February 8, 1907 



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It is of interest to note, in this connection, 

 that the national government, through the Bu- 

 reau of Plant Industry of the Department of 

 Agriculture, has lately been engaged in cactus 

 tests to determine the food value and general 

 composition of various wild cacti. The results 

 have been highly encouraging. In a bulletin 

 issued by the government in the present year 

 (January, 1907), by David Griffiths, of the 

 bureau, and R. F. Hare, chemist of the New 

 Mexico College of Agriculture, certain impor- 

 tant results are shown. Elaborate analyses 

 were made of the wild cacti, the opuntias, the 

 type upon which Mr. Burbank began his work 

 to develop them into the present thornless 

 ones. It was shown in this cooperative exam- 

 ination that there was a marked difference in 



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