36 



The younger fronds are slightly superior to the old ones. It must 

 also be remembered that the plant requires a longer time to recover 

 when the older parts of the plant have been severed. It requires 

 from two to seven years for the plant to replace itself, depending upon 

 the amount which is cut down, the age of the plant, the season, and 

 whether or not the older trunks are cut. 



A yield of 68f tons was obtained from a growth of 31 months, 

 equal to 22 tons per acre annually from a cultivated crop. When no 

 cultivation was given and grass allowed to grow, the yield was only 

 one-eighth of this amount. In the above tests the plants were 

 planted 2 by 6 feet apart. 



.At Haleakala ranch on Maui the manager informs the writer that in 

 a field of 1,500 acres of cactus (PI. IX, fig. 1) he keeps a total of 700 

 head of different ages throughout the entire year. 



Dr. Griffiths is of the opinion that the spineless cactus can not re- 

 place the spined forms on ranches. It is less hardy, grows more 

 slowly, must be cultivated in order to furnish any considerable 

 amount of feed, must be fenced to protect it from the cattle, and 

 finally must be cut and hauled out to the cattle, since, if allowed 

 access to it, the cattle will surely kill it. 1 



In Hawaii there are several different forms of cactus, some of which 

 are nearly spineless, but the larger areas are covered with the spiny 

 forms having purple or whitish fruits. 



Aside from its use as forage, the prickly pear is used in some regions 

 as food for man, either raw or in jellies. The young joints are often 

 pickled or cut and dried. The expressed juice is used in whitewash 

 for exterior work. The pulp is used for poultices and for making 

 cactus candy. The ripe fruit in some parts of Hawaii is considered 

 especially valuable as food for swine, and the latter animals also to 

 some extent make use of the fronds if the spines have been well burned 

 or cut. 



Cacti require a warm climate with an intermittent rainfall. In 

 Hawaii they thrive on the leeward sides of the islands at elevations 

 between 300 and 2,500 feet. They may be propagated by seeds, but 

 are very easily propagated by cuttings. Any portion of the plant 

 placed in the soil will take root and grow. 



LESS IMPORTANT GRASSES. 



The following table gives a list of the less important grasses which 

 have been introduced into Hawaii: 



i U. 8. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Buls. 74, 124. 



