CACTUS LANDSCAPES. 



469 



plants, but when driven by hunger the}' attack them, 

 notwithstanding the cruel spines or needles with which 

 they are armed. It is found that by burning the spines 

 so as to destroy the points they are rendered compara- 

 tively harmless. Some feeders use a cutting box pre- 

 pared for the purpose, and by holding the cactus joints 

 in a proper direction cut off the spines with rapidity 

 and also cut the joints into pieces to feed to the cattle. 

 They frequently mix them with meal or bran or cotton- 

 seed meal, and in this manner fed to cattle they are said 

 to be of great value. Sheep and hogs are also fed upon 

 them. It is also stated that the young joints of the 

 cactus are used in early spring by the Mexican popula- 

 tion of western Texas as food. They are cut into small 



pieces, mixed with flour in a batter, and fried. This 

 dish is said to be as palatable as egg-plant. 



The common name of these large opuntias among the 

 Mexicans is Nopal, although that name belongs more 

 properly to a similar Mexican species (Opuntia Fims- 

 Indica, or Indian Fig, Fig. R.) which is cultivated for 

 the sake of its pulpy fruits, which are highly esteemed 

 and sold in all the markets. Another notable and relat- 

 ed species is cultivated for hedges and is naturalized 

 about the old Missions in southern California. It is 

 called Tuna (Fig. T), and grows ten to fifteen feet high. 

 Its fruit is large, well flavored and edible. 



A western variety (var. occidenialis) of the Opiaitin 



Eiigebiianni occurs on the western slopes of the moun- 

 tains in southern California. This has stout woody 

 stems, with innumerable branches, amounting to some- 

 times over 100 joints. It was found northeast of San 

 Diego at elevations of 1,000 to 2,000 feet, in immense 

 patches, often as large as half an acre. Dr. Bigelow 

 also found it 40 miles east of Los Angeles in extensive 

 areas. 



Another species of similar habit, but somewhat 

 smaller, occurs throughout Arizona and the desert re- 

 gion of California. It is the Opuntia angustata (Fig. PP.) 

 It grows in large patches of eight to ten feet in extent, 

 mostly prostrate, but with some of the branches stand- 

 ing three or four feet higji. The joints are six to ten 



inches long, obovate, gradually narrowed to the base, 

 and with more numerous fascicles of spines than in O. 

 Engelmanni. The pulpy fruit is perhaps, about i)4 

 inches long, and i inch in diameter. 



Some of the opuntias have cylindrical joints or 

 branches. The one most widely difl'used is probably 

 Opitntia arboicsicns, or " tree opuntia." This comes into 

 view in northeastern New Mexico, where it may be 

 seen by travelers, along the line of the railroad, a 

 strange naked looking, erect, stiff object three to six 

 feet high with half a dozen rigid branches standing out 

 at all angles, and displaying their savage spines. In the 

 hills about Santa Fe they are abundant. From here 



