melon-cactus

Updated: April 1, 2026

Here, on the driest soil, the globular melon-cactus, measuring a foot in diameter, flourishes; its tough and prickly skin surrounding a rich and juicy pulp. It is, however, covered with long, sharp thorns, which must be broken off before the refreshing juice can be obtained.

William Henry Giles Kingston - The Western World: Picturesque Sketches of Nature and Natural History in North: and South America