DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. 



Plate I. Frontispiece. Old and new ways of singeing cacti. Fig. 1. — The cane 

 cactus of southeastern Colorado, singed with brush. April, 1904. Fig. 2. — The 

 prickly pear of Texas, singed with a torch. This is a typical illustration of the 

 method largely employed throughout southern Texas of destroying the evil effect 

 of the spines by singeing with a blast flame from a gasoline torch especially pre- 

 pared for this purpose. Sinclair ranch, near San Antonio, Tex., May, 1904. 



Plate II. The prickly pear and a pear machine. Fig. 1. — One of the common 

 prickly pears of Texas in full fruit. This plant is bearing rather abnormally this 

 year. Glass ranch, near Eagle Pass, Tex., May, 1904. Fig. 2. — A type of pear 

 cutter as set up and operated by Mr. J. C. Glass two years ago. Machine as 

 seen from the horsepower platform. May, 1904. 



Plate III. Another type of pear cutter. Fig. 1. — Front view, showing knives, 

 b igether with a sheet-iron shield which acts as a back stop for the pear, which is 

 fed against the face of the revolving wheel. June, 1904. Fig. 2. — Rear view, 

 with casing removed, showing the boxes behind the knives into which the 

 chopped pear passes and is carried out of the machine. The delivery opening 

 of one of these is shown on the left. June, 1904. 



Plate IV. Fig. 1. — Xopal de Castilla. cultivated in southern California. Such a 

 scene as this is common in the vicinity of the old missions and larger haciendas 

 throughout northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. This planta- 

 tion is doubtless upward of 30 years of age, and some of the plants are 20 to 25 

 feet high. Fig. 2. — A pear thicket on the Glass ranch, Eagle Pass, Tex. This 

 is typical of large areas in this part of Texas. May, 1904. 



Plate V. The Tapuna pear. Fig. 1. — A single plant of the Tapuna pear near 

 Alonzo. Mexico. The fruits of this species are highly prized as an article of diet, 

 and are about the rlrst that appear in the markets of San Luis Potosi. The 

 spines are not numerous and the joints are very thick and succulent. Alonzo, 

 Mexico, June. 1904. Fig. 2. — Fruit of the Tapuna pear in one of the market 

 places at San Luis Potosi, Mexico. June, 1904. 

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