. Bulletin. 1901-13. Agriculture; Agriculture. METHODS OF FEEDING. 15 nibble at the cut surface without serious injury. This practice has probably done more toward the creation of impenetrable thickets than any other, for a large number of the pieces which are cut oft' strike root and grow. HANDLING THE PLANTS. The species of cactus which is fed in southeastern Colorado is one of the so-called tree cacti. The spines arc very numerous upon this species, rendering it difficult to handle, so an ordinary fork is used to collect and handle it over the tire. Some feeders employ an ax in cutting the
. Bulletin. 1901-13. Agriculture; Agriculture. METHODS OF FEEDING. 15 nibble at the cut surface without serious injury. This practice has probably done more toward the creation of impenetrable thickets than any other, for a large number of the pieces which are cut oft' strike root and grow. HANDLING THE PLANTS. The species of cactus which is fed in southeastern Colorado is one of the so-called tree cacti. The spines arc very numerous upon this species, rendering it difficult to handle, so an ordinary fork is used to collect and handle it over the tire. Some feeders employ an ax in cutting the tree down, but the majority of them use a fork for that purpose also. A comparatively small pressure of the fork against a large limb is sufficient either to break it off or cause it to split at the crotch, when it can be loaded directly on the wagon which is driven along for this purpose. The limbs break off very readily when they are frosty. If collected in cool, crisp mornings, therefore, chopping i- not necessary, for a simple pressure of the fork will break off' a huge limb. An average load upon a hay frame will weigh 2,000 to 3,000pounds. This the collector can gather and throw upon the wagon with no particular attention to the arrangement of the plants, as with. Fig. 1.—A pear fork. a load of hay. The practice in vogue requires a great deal of handling. The plants are first loaded on the wagon, thrown off in heaps, forked over at least twice in the singeing, and then thrown out to the cattle to feed upon. This makes not less than four handlings. The feed is comparatively easy to handle, however, a large branch, such as is usually obtained, weighing as much or more than an average forkful of hay. In southern Texas the handling does not differ very materially from that described for southern Colorado, except in unimportant details. Here, on account of the peculiar influence of the Mexican labor employed, the methods are often very primitive. Instead of a fork, a sharpene
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