"K" wrote in message
...
michael adams writes

As a result of regularly handling cacti, many years ago I bought
myself a jeweller's eye glass - the actual magnification number
wore off years ago, and a large pair of tweezers.

As a result of regularly handling cacti, I don't get spines in me ;-)
But then I don't grow Opuntias.


--
Kay

I've got some really old opuntia microdasys with very long chains
of pads, all grown from seed. And as you know the spines are
in the glochids, the brown felty buttons. You can brush
against them without noticing, and only afterwards do you
notice the irritation on your skin. Whereas the fine spines
from the likes of strausii - silver torches and similar
species don't seem to irritate at all.

michael adams

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