ECONOMIC VALUES OF THE OPUNTIAS

  1. The plants are used for hedges or fences as well as for ornament.
  2. The leaves as food for all kinds of stock including poultry.
    3. Spineless Opuntia In Fruit And Portion Of Spiny One
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  3. The fat young leaves (joints) make most excellent pickles and are a good and wholesome food when fried like eggplant. They are also boiled and used as greens and are prepared with sugar producing a sweetmeat similar to preserved citron, and may be flavored with ginger or other spices.
  4. The abundant mucilaginous juice from the fruit and leaves is extracted for mixing with whitewash for making it lasting when exposed to the weather.
  5. The leaves are extensively used and most admirably adapted for poultices and as a substitute for hot water bags (thornless kinds of course preferred).
  6. The fresh fruit of the improved varieties is unique in form and color, superior to the banana in flavor and is usually sold at the same price per box as oranges. It can be produced at perhaps one half the expense of producing oranges, apricots, grapes, plums or peaches, as there is never a failure in the crop and it can be shipped as safely as the other deciduous fruits.
  7. Most delicious jams, jellies and syrups are made from the fruits.
  8. The juice from the fruits of the crimson varieties is used for coloring ices, jelly and confectionery.

The fruits and leaves are sometimes served in various other forms for food by those who are familiar with them.

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