Edible Products. 



168 



[March 1907. 



6, As regards the preparation of the prickly pear for fodder, the method 

 adopted in India has generally been to remove the thorns by means of tongs, some- 

 what like sugar tongs, by which means the complete group of thorns, bristles and 

 adjacent woody tissue may be pinched out together. The leaves may them be wiped, 

 though this is not universal, or dipped in water to wash off small adherent bristles 

 and sliced into fingers. Another very common practice especially in America is to 

 burn the leaves slightly when the distal end of the thorn will be destroyed and the 

 cactus may then be fed to cattle direct. In this connection American experience 

 seems to show that over-toasted leaves induce laxity of the bowels, and this may be 

 a partial explanation of the poor results of Mr. Mehta's experiment. In Mr. 

 Mollison's the pear was merely cleaned and sliced, no heat being applied. Other 

 methods are steaming or boiling the plant whereby the thorns become as softened 

 as to be almost innocuous. Machines are in vogue in America for pulping the whole 

 plant, reducing it to such a fine state that the thorns are rendered harmless. The 

 introduction of cactus into the diet should be very gradual, and it will, in most cases, 

 be found necessary at first to sprinkle a little salt and bran or gram flour or cholam 

 flour over it to induce the animals to touch it. 



7. There seems to be no reason then save the prejudice of the ryot why cactus 

 in some form should not form a valuable adjunct to the fodder resources of the 

 country. That in normal times it will ever be largely used seems unlikely since if it 

 is really an economical fodder, the thrifty cultivator would probably have used it 

 long since ; but it may certainly be looked upon as a most valuable auxiliary food in 

 times of distress.— [Bulletin No. 4, Central Agricultural Committee, AJadras.] 



[The prickly pear is very common on the North coast of Ceylon, and in places 

 inland.-ED. " T.A."J 



