© Underwood & Underwood 

 GATHERING PRICKLY PEAR FRUIT NEAR THE PYRAMID OF THE SUN: SAN JUAN 



TEOTIHUACAX, MEXICO 



The nopal cactus bears the tuna of the Mexicans and the prickly pear of Americans. 

 The tree is composed of series of oval pads. As one of these pads hardens, it becomes a 

 part of the tree instead of remaining its foliage and fruit. The great pad produces a fruit 

 about the size of a duck egg, covered with fine prickles, as full of seeds as the ordinary fig. 

 It is always cool when plucked. The natives subsist almost entirely on it when they can 

 get it. It means as much to the Mexican ninos as Georgia watermelon to the American 

 pickaninnies. 



