THE FODDER PLANT FOR ARID REGIONS. 
7 
Of Easy Culture and Rapid Growth. 
GROWN FROM CUTTINGS. 
Everybody knows that Baldwin apples, Bartlett pears and our favorite peaches, plums 
and cherries cannot be raised from seeds; just the same laws hold true with the improved 
Opuntias, but fortunately they can be raised from cuttings in any quantity with the ut¬ 
most ease—more truly they raise themselves, for when broken from the parent plant, the 
cuttings attend to the rooting without further attention, whether planted right end up, 
bottom up, sideways or not at all. 
WHERE TO PLANT. 
Plant wherever you wish to have them grow, on rich level land or the steepest poorest 
rocky hillsides, old river beds or rock piles, but their growth and succulence are greatly 
increased by good soil, some culture and in very dry soils by one or two light irrigations 
each summer. By such treatment the fruit is greatly increased in size and quality, and 
the slabs for feeding are doubled in weight and succulence. Nothing responds more 
promptly to fairly good treatment. They will flourish almost anywhere except where 
it is too wet for anything else to grow. 
WHEN TO PLANT. 
Unlike most other plants the Opuntias root best during the heat of summer, and this 
is the time also to transplant them. Thejr should not be moved at other seasons. No 
one who is familiar with them would undertake to root or transplant them during cold 
damp weather such as would be best for other trees and plants. During June, July, 
August and September they will thrive under almost anjr treatment; the leaves, blossoms,, 
buds, half-grown fruits or any part of the plant will make roots and grow, even on the 
floor back of a cook stove, in the pocket of your winter overcoat or on your writing 
desk. 
HOW TO PLANT. 
The Opuntias differ from nearly all other plants as the cuttings must first be wilted 
before they will grow, after which nothing grows so readily. When received place them 
in some warm sunny place and allow them to remain a week or more, after which they 
will readily form roots and start to grow anywhere, even on a board, a pile of rocks or the 
roof of the house if you choose. When wilted, the usual way is to plant so that about 
one-third of the cutting is below the soil they may be planted in an upright position or 
at airy angle from the perpendicular, it makes no difference to the Opuntias. 
DISTANCES FOR PLANTING. 
On fairly good soil in general field culture for stock feed, the giant-growing kinds should 
be planted about three or four feet apart in the rows and the rows should be about eight 
feet apart. In orchard planting for the large growing, fruiting varieties probably four by 
ten or twelve feet would be better. 
Economic Values of the Opuntias . 
First. The plants are used for hedges or fences as well as for ornament. 
Second. The leaves as food for all kinds of stock including poultry. 
Third. The fat young leaves ( joints ) make most excellent pickles and are a good and 
wholesome food when fried like egg-plant. They are also boiled and used as greens and 
