THE GREEN-HOUSE.—AUSTRALIAN PLANTS, 95 
and they should have abundance of light and air; while they should 
be grown in pots well drained with cinders, and filled up with a 
mixture of loam, and pounded brick and lime rubbish. The Mams- 
malarias and Echinocacti, forming the group called the Porcupine 
Cacti, grow in the valleys of the temperate regions, generally in 
loamy soil, and among thick short grass, passing half their year in 
continual rain. The Opuntias and Fereskias are found on almost 
barren hills; the Opuntia, which is always known by its flat oval 
leaves or rather stems, and its prickly but eatable fruit, growing in 
narrow chinks among rocks where there does not appear sufficient 
soil to nourish a blade of grass. In some cases these plants grow 
nearly to the verge of perpetual snow. The Pereskias, which have 
leaves distinct from their stems, grow in similar situations, and re- 
quire only a moderate degree of heat; but the Melocacti and the 
Rhipsalis are only found in the hottest part of the tropics. 
All the Cacti should be grown in pots well drained with cinders, 
and in soil composed of a little sandy loam mixed with lime rubbish. 
They should all be watered regularly and abundantly when they are 
growing, or coming into flower, and kept nearly dry during their sea- 
son of repose; and they all enjoy having their pots plunged in a 
slight hot-bed, which makes them throw out abundance of roots. 
The Australian plants, of which so many beautiful kinds have 
been introduced within the last few years, should nearly all be grown 
in a mixture of sand and peat; and they should have their pots filled 
one-third with potshreds. They all require abundance of water, but 
they will all perish if water be retained about their roots. Most of 
the Australian plants are very tenacious of life, and if cut down 
when they appear dead, they will generally spring up again from the 
collar of the root. , 
The principal climbing plants grown in pots are the Maurandyas, 
‘the Lophospermums, the Passion-flowers, the Rhodochiton, the 
Ecremocarpus, or Calempelis, the Ipomzas, and the Cobea. There 
are, however, several others, all of which are very handsome. The 
greater part of these require a rich light soil to make them grow rap- 
idly, and to be planted in the grourd of the conservatory. The Big- 
nonias or Tecomas should be grown in equal parts of loam and peat; 
and this compost will suit the Polygalas, and other showy climbers. 
The Sollyas and Billiardieras should be grown in peat and frequent- 
ly syringed to keep off the green fly. The Thunbergias are very 
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