25T) 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



\_Auguiit, 



Oycfts contains a great quantity of fecula, which 

 is manufactured into a kind of spurious sago." 

 From tliis mixture by one author it seems that 

 "the granulated powder called Sago" is a "spu- 

 rious " article. Dr. Wood says that " the farina- 

 ceous product of the diflcrent species of Cycas, | 

 sometimes called Japan Sago does not enter into 

 general commerce. i 



As the Cycas revoluta is not a true palm and j 

 does not furnish the Sago of commerce, (which i 

 is a product of Sagus Rumphii, Sagus lavis, and 

 Sagueris Rumphii,) it is rather a misnomer to 

 call it the Sago Palm, a name rightfully belong- 

 ing to Sagus Rumphii, though Webster gives it 

 Rhapis tlabelliformis. 



RHYMES AND RECOLLECTIONS OF A CACTUS 



MAN. 



BY WM. T. HARDING, SUPT. OAK HILL CEMETERY, 



UPPER SANDUSKY, OHIO. 



(Continued from page 221 ) 



Near by, the venerable and hoary headed old 

 man cactus, Pilocereus senilis, looked serious 

 and sedate ; the very picture of an aged cactus 

 sire. The succulent sage, claimed all the honor 

 and respect due to a long and well spent life. 

 The old fellow had grown gray in the service, 

 and seemed, as he leaned on his staff, to have 

 long passed the allotted period of three-score 

 years and ten. Like a weary cactus pilgrim, he 

 was evidently nearing the end which awaited 

 him, and the rest of his ancient race. 



"There were giants in those days," among the 

 succulent tribes. Cereus regalis— regal indeed, 

 in portly form, stood some twelve feet above 

 C. gibbosus ; while C. hexagonus, with an alti- 

 tude of thirty feet, towered above them all. The 

 admirable raHatY Cactus, C. flagelliformis, worked 

 at intervals up the stem of a tall Pereskia, was 

 really a superb specimen, and one of the won- 

 ders of the house. 



There were several p/e^/ionc specimens of the 

 Melon Thistle kinds, or Melocactuses. M. com- 

 munis is perhaps the most commOn, having 

 been in cultivation since 1688. However com- 

 mon it has been since then, it nevertheless, still 

 remains an uncommonly queer looking plant. 

 Cactaceous obesity, is one of the characteristics 

 of this curious genus. M. pyramidalis, is an old 

 vegetal pyramid, and if not so massive as Cheops, 

 is more ancient, no doubt. M. amoenus, is a 

 beauty, if not the belle of the family. M. exca- 



vatus, is so much excavated, as to look as if "Old 

 Time " had been diligently digging at it for cen- 

 turies; and ere this, has i)robably caved in, as 

 all things will. M. polyacantiius, or many 

 .spined, is something like M. macrantha, with 

 longer spines, of the touch-me-not order. 



Their curious compeere, are Cactuses. C. de- 

 pressus, is much depressed, though not in the 

 least distressed. C. foliosus, is more leafy than 

 umbrageous. C. rcductus, C. intortus, and C. cor- 

 rugatus, are singular examples of Cacti. The fea- 

 tures of the last named, were deeply furrowed : 

 looked old, and stricken in years. C. intortus, 

 was as twisted and contorted as a cactus could 

 be, and would puzzle a geometrician to describe 

 its form. 



Not to be forgotten, are the broad and burly 

 Opuntias, or Indian figs, standing defiantly — 

 armed to the teeth — among the little cactus kin, 

 less pretentious, though much more beautiful. 

 O. spinosis.sima, is well-named, if not well-man- 

 nered. The merciless character of the phlebot- 

 omizer is well-known ; yet, is harmless enough, 

 if let alone. A lawyer, would undoubtedly de- 

 cide that it belonged to the Lex talionis class. 

 And the same might be said of 0. ferox. 0. mi- 

 crodasys, and O. polyantha, both belong to the 

 queer order of O's. Their lancets are not so long 

 — but are short, sharp, and decisive. Perhaps, 

 the most useful kind, is 0. coccinellifera, from 

 which the cochineal insects are gathered, and 

 w'hich give the red tincture used for dyeing pur- 

 poses. 



In South America, the writer has seen Cereus 

 repandus, C. triangularis, Opuntia maxima, 

 O. decumana, and 0. spinosissima, used as hedge 

 plants, to fence the Cocoa-nut plantations. Ban- 

 ana groves, and Pine-apple fields. They are of 

 such a formidable and rei^ellent nature, as to de- 

 ter any living thing from attempting to get 

 through. Neither hog, dog, or devil, would face 

 them, he is certain. 



Formed in various groups, were the more com- 

 pact little curiosities of the Genus Mammillaria, 

 Echinocactus, Echinopsis, &c., &c. ; which with 

 the more flexible and slender growing Rhipsa- 

 lises, made the curious contrast still more strange. 

 The above-named little pets, are both elegant 

 and interesting, and may be classed as bijou 

 cacti. No conchological collection, however 

 well selected, could possibly surpass, either in 

 beauty or value, an equal number of these minor 

 marvels. 



Connected with Manmiill arias, are many 



