44 THE PRICKLY PEAR AS FOOD FOR STOCK. 



Pear, when burned, scours cattle much worse than when it is simply 

 scorched enough to take the thorns off. 



Pear with many thorns is as easily prepared for the use of stock as 

 that which has but few thorns. 



It is quite probable that all the larger species of cactus can be fed 

 to stock to advantage when properly prepared. 



Prickly pear and other species of cactus may be fed in a variety 

 of ways: 



(1) Cattle accustomed to pear eat more or less of it during the entire 

 year, whether there is plenty of other feed or not. and with no prepa- 

 ration. 



(2) The thorns may be scorched off with brush. 



(3) The thorn> may be scorched off with a gasoline torch — a modified 

 plumber's torch. 



(4) The edges of the joints may be trimmed off with a machete, 

 when stock, especially sheep and goats, gain access to the pulpy mass 

 at an advantage. 



(5) The plants may be piled in heaps in a held and chopped into 

 small pieces with a machete. 



(6) The whole plant may be chopped into pieces J to 1 inch long 

 with machines prepared for that purpose. 



i 7 ) In some localities the whole plant is steamed in large vats to 

 render the spines innocuous. 



A cow. with calf, fed on prickly pear alone will lose flesh very 

 rapidly. 



Cotton-seed meal or cake and cotton seed appear to be well adapted 

 to feeding with pear. 



Hogs fatten well on the fruit of the prickly pear, and they take 

 kindly to a ration of prickly pear when the thorns are properly singed 

 off. 



Stock fed on prickly pear and cotton-seed products are said to suffer 

 heavy shrinkage on the way to market. 



Pear as feed for stock is of sufficient value to warrant investigations 

 for the purpose of determining: 



(1) How it may best be propagated. 



(2) Whether there are species in foreign countries of greater value 

 than those which are native to the Southwest. 



(3) Its exact value as food for both man and beast. 



(4) The nature and cause of the rapid fermentation in the chopped 

 material. 



(5) The comparative value of different species. 



(6) The comparative value of old and new growth. 



(7) The exact influence upon quantity and quality of milk. 



The old woody stems are preferred by feeder- to the young joints. 

 When fed for succulence, as is the case in dry weather, the young 



