Al Mmc?  IqS™'}    New  Ve9etaWe  Foods  and  Fruits.  173 
is  :  Water,  96.50  per  cent. ;  protein,  0.78  per  cent. ;  fat,  0.10  per  cent. ; 
carbohydrate,  0.77  per  cent. ;  crude  fiber,  4.60  per  cent. ;  ash,  0.65 
per  rent. 
The  Savoy  cabbage,  Brassica  bullata,  a  variety  of  cabbage  with 
crinkly,  blistered  looking  leaves,  is  a  very  hardy  type  of  cabbage 
often  seen  in  the  market  stalls.  The  composition  of  this  is  about  the 
same  as  ordinary  cabbage. 
Another  cabbage-like  vegetable  of  unidentifiable  origin  is  sold  in 
Chinese  groceries,  and  consists  of  a  cluster  of  stalks,  white  and 
succulent  at  the  bottom  and  green  and  leafy  at  the  top,  and  bears 
a  raceme  of  yellow  cruciferous  flowers. 
Cactus. — The  edible  fruit  of  many  species  of  Opuntia  have 
appeared  in  the  market,  usually  under  the  name  of  Tuna  Prickly 
Pear  or  Indian  Fig.  The  strawberry  pear,  melon  thistle  and  Mexi- 
can strawberry  are  fruits  of  other  species  of  the  cactus  family,  not 
so  well  known  as  the  prickly  pear.  Prickly  pears  are  found  in  vari- 
ous colors,  as  red,  yellow  and  purple.  They  are  pear-shaped  or 
round  and  vary  in  weight  from  about  an  ounce  to  nearly  a  pound. 
The  skin  is  usually  tufted  in  spots  with  the  spines  which  give  the 
fruit  its  name.  It  is  eaten  raw,  plain  or  in  salads,  in  the  form  of 
preserves  or  sometimes  pickled.  A  syrup  made  from  the  pulp  is 
known  as  Tuna  honey.  The  composition  of  the  prickly  pear  is  as 
follows:  Water,  79.2  per  cent.;  protein,  1.4  per  cent.;  fat,  1.3  per 
cent.;  sugars,  11.7  per  cent.;  crude  fiber,  3.7  per  cent.;  ash,  2.7 
per  cent. 
The  fleshy  leaves  of  the  spineless  variety  of  cactus,  originated  by 
Luther  Burbank,  is  also  of  possible  importance  as  a  foodstuff.  It 
can  be  grown  without  irrigation  and  the  tremendous  yield  of  100  to 
300  tons  to  the  acre  is  sometimes  obtained.  It  has  been  used  suc- 
cessfully in  feeding  hogs  and  cattle,  which  are  reported  to  thrive 
upon  it.  Its  use  as  a  human  food  is  in  its  infancy.  At  a  banquet 
in  one  of  the  western  cities  a  few  years  ago,  it  was  utilized  in  nine 
different  ways. 
Cardoon. — A  plant  of  the  thistle  family,  Cynara  cardunculus, 
which,  when  full  grown,  attains  a  height  of  8  or  10  feet.  The  young 
leaves  and  stalks,  when  banked  with  earth,  like  celery,  become  fleshy, 
crisp  and  tender.  It  is  used  in  salads,  soups  and  stews.  It  is  quite 
popular  in  France,  from  whence  it  was  formerly  imported,  although 
it  is  grown  to  some  extent  here.  In  Europe,  the  root,  which  is 
thick  and  fleshy  and  fine  flavored,  is  used  as  a  winter  vegetable. 
