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DRY FARMING CONGRESS. 



eastern Colorado. Early in the 80's a machine was invented by a Dr. 

 Caruthers for chopping the pear so that it could be fed without injury. The 

 original machine has subsequently been improved so that it is claimed 

 now by the manufacturers, and also by the feeders, that eight men and 

 four teams, with pear handy, can feed 1,500 head of cattle. The most 

 useful pear machine, however, is the gasoline torch, which is a modified 

 plumber's torch. By the use of this instrument one man can feed 400 

 cattle without difficulty. This is used simply to singe off the thorns, 

 which burn very readily. The plants are singed where they grow and 

 the cattle are then turned on to graze them without farther preparation 

 or handling. 



The next line of investigation demanded appeared to us to be upon 

 the rate of growth of the plant. A peculiar condition exists in portions 

 of southern Texas. Prickly pear originally grew abundantly in the vicini- 

 ty of San Antonio and some of the other larger towns, but now there 

 is practically none-of it to be found. Dairymen have all but exterminated 

 the plant in their search for winter succulence. It is in the vicinity of 

 these towns that the demand exists now for such a feed. Experiments 

 were, therefore, started in San Antonio. 



Three years' growth has now been secured upon the experimental 

 plantation at San Antonio. This is the first instance, in this country 

 at least, where this plant has been grown under field conditions. Our 

 practice has been to thoroughly prepare the ground and lay it off in six- 

 foot rows. Stock for planting is secured from the surrounding pastures. 

 The plants are cut up into single joints, and these joints, handled with 

 a fork, are distributed about two feet apart in the rows. The cuttings 

 are really not planted at all; they are simply laid upon the ground. 

 They make really better plants in this way than when planted on edge. 

 This method of planting can be pursued at any time of the year when 

 the ground is moist. It is not prudent to plant in July or August, but 

 at any other season the plants will grow readily. When the ground is 

 dry, however, it is best to lay the field out in rows with a plow and 

 partially cover the cutting in the furrow. This can be done by another 

 furrow or by the use of a sulky cultivator. 



The yield of prickly pear per acre is, of course, fundamental in all 

 of these investigations. Its value depends upon the quantity of feed 

 which it will produce under existing conditions. Thus far we have se- 

 cured three years' growth. One of these seasons was very dry, the 

 other exceptionally wet, and the second about an average season. We 

 estimate, therefore, that the average growth for these three years will 

 probably represent, quite closely, the average for a longer period. We 

 believe now that it will be most advantageous to harvest this crop not 

 more often than on alternate years. However, it will do no harm to 

 allow the crop to stand three or four years longer before harvesting it 

 It will produce a large enough crop, however, to be harvested at eighteen 

 to twenty-four months after planting. During the past three years an 

 average annual growth of twenty-three tons per acre has been secured. 



