PRICKLY PEAR, agenus (Opuntia) of American cactus. About 130 species have been recognized in the region they occupy from British Columbia through the western States, Central America and West Indies to southern South America. They are very variable in their specific characters, and the lines between species are very indistinctly marked. Some are very prostrate plants; others are tree like in height and spread of top. They have club-shaped, cylindrical or flat spiny or hairy, fleshy stems, and except upon the youngest joints bear no leaves. These leaves drop off very soon. The flowers, which are borne near the upper parts of the Joints or stems and on the most bristly parts, are solitary or in corymb like particles and are usually yellow and very showy. The fruit is a modified stem, the ovary being sunken in its apex. It varies with dif ferent species from dry to fleshy and succulent, in many species being edible. Prickly pears were in cultivation among the natives when America was discovered, and were introduced by the Spaniards to the Mediterranean region, and finally to Asia, South Africa, Australia, etc. In all these places they are now regarded as troublesome weeds, though in many they are valued for their fruit. In Sicily they are one of the chief crops, the peasants living mainly upon the fruit from July to November. Since some of the varieties will produce about nine tons of fruit to the acre upon land too rocky, thin or poor for other crops; since this produc tion can be counted upon for a long series of years without any cultivation after the plants become established (in three years or less, usually) ; and since they are highly nutritious, their value is not over-estimated in climates adapted to their culture; namely, dry and frost less. They contain about 14 per cent of sugar
and nearly 2 per cent of fat. A crop of nine tons per acre would, therefore, be equivalent to about 2,500 pounds of sugar.
In view of these statements it seems strange that attention has not been directed to improve ment of varieties, etc. They have not been rapked with horticultural fruits, though they are of far more economic importance than many that are. In many sections they are used for stock feeding, especially in seasons of drought. The spines are generally rubbed or burned off, but cattle often eat them without this treatment, and frequently suffer death because the spines pierce their intestines. Of late, however, spineless varieties have been cultivated successfully and are used chiefly for stock feed. The plants are most used for fodder in the western States, Africa and Aus tralia. In Tunis, dairymen are rarely without a plantation of prickly pear for their herd. The plants are also planted for ornamental pur poses in gardens and greenhouses in many parts of the world not adapted to their cultiva tion; and in places adapted to them they are favorite hedge plants. The most esteemed spe cies are probably the Indian fig (0. ficus indica), the tuna (0. tuna), 0. engelmanni, and 0. fulgida, the first two being especially valued for the fruit, the last two for their fodder. 0. vulgaris is a common species in the eastern States and is hardy as far north as Massa chusetts.