[Plate (>2.J 
THE HYBRID CRENATE CACTUS. 
(PIIYLLOCACTUS SPECIOSISSIMO-CRENATUS.) 
A Garden Ilyhrld Greenhouse Shrxih, 
T'HE follomng is the history of this beautiful production. It hajjpened that ^t Phi/Uocactm crenatus 
was in flower in the Garden of the Horticultural Society at the same time as a very fine variety of 
Cereus specmissimns belonging to Lady Antrobus. It occurred to Mr. Gordon to touch the former 
with the pollen of the latter. In due time a fruit was formed, and PhyllocacUis crenattcs became the 
mother of a batch of seed wliich has produced the race of liybrids of which the annexed is a figure. 
« 
The seedling selected for representation is probably the finest of the crop, but all the seedlings 
are much alike, chiefly varying in the deeper or paler colour of their flowers. The eff'ect of the cross 
has been to form a mule with the stems and in some respects the flowers of crenatm^ and with the 
colour, even as far as the well-known violet tinge, of speciosmimjis ; so that the father gave colour 
and changed somewhat the form of the flowers, while the mother gave general habit. 
It is evident that the Cacti mule freely. Many are in our gardens of uncertain origin. Sir 
Philip Egerton is celebrated for the success with wliich he has mixed them at Oulton Park, and the 
present case shows that great results may be thus obtained ; for tliis is an example of undoubted 
beauty. We would, therefore, suggest the advantage of carrying these experiments much farther. 
Why not cross the Mammillarias and Echiiiocacti with Cereus and Phyllocadm ? Yerj singular 
productions might thus result. . But above all why not cross the hardy Opuntias with the brilliant 
species of our hothouses. Some Opuntias will stand our winters without any protection near 
London, and there is no physical reason why they should not become the parents of a race of hardy 
and verv ornamental Cacti, although they have no beauty themselves. 
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