AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



63 



CAC 



reservoirs of moisture, and not only tiie na- 

 tives, by wounding the flesliy stems with 

 their long forest knives, supply themselves 

 with a cool and refreshing juice, but even the 

 cattle contrive to break through the skin with 

 their hoofs, and then to suck the liquid they 

 contain, instinct teaching them to avoid 

 wounding themselves with the spines. Some 

 of the species serve the Indians with food. 

 The Cacti are arranged by nature into several 

 distinct groups, the first of which consists of 

 the tree Cacti, or those kinds of Cereus which 

 have long, slender stems, and which usually 

 grow on the summits of the mountains of 

 Mexico and Brazil, i'oi'ming a singular kind of 

 crest. These are generally thirty or forty 

 feet high, and sometimes are branched like 

 candelabra, and sometimes consists of only 

 one naked stem, not thicker than a man's arm, 

 though of such enormous height. Others, 

 again, not only grow to a height of fifty or 

 sixty feet, but have a diameter of two or three 

 feet. The Mammillarias and Echinocacti, 

 which form another group, grow in the val- 

 leys of the temperate regions, generally in 

 loamy soils and low grass ; and the Opuntias 

 and Pereskias, which form two others, are also 

 principally found in the temperate latitudes. 

 The Melocacti, or Melon Cacti, and the Rhip- 

 salis, which has narrow-jointed stems, and 

 two otlier groups, are found in the hottest 

 parts of the tropics. With regard to the cul- 

 ture of Cacti, it is found that, generally speak- 

 ing, they ought to have a season of complete 

 rest, followed by one of excitement. They 

 ought to be watered sparingly while dormant, 

 and freely when in bloom, and grown in a 

 light, sandy soil. Several of the best known 

 genera of Cactus, such as Epiphyllum, Cereus 

 and Phyllocactus, will be found under their 

 respective heads. 



Cactus. Cochineal. Opuntia eochinillifera and 

 0. Txma. 

 Old Man. Pilocereus senilis. 

 Rat's Tail. Cereus Jlagelliformis. 

 Turk's Cap. The genus Melocactus. 



Cactus Dahlia. Dahlia Juarezii. 



Caducous. Falling off soon ; deciduous. 



Caesalpi'nla. In memory of Andreas CcEsalpiniis, 

 chief physician to Pope Clement VIII. Nat. 

 Ord. LeguminoscB. 



A genus of tropical trees of considerable 

 importance in an economic point of view, but 

 without special beauty. C. coriaria, a West 

 Indian and South American species, yields 

 large quantities of tannin, which is extracted 

 from its seed pods. C. Braziliensis, furnishes 

 the Brazil-wood, exceedingly valuable for 

 dyeing purposes, and an important article of 

 commerce. 



Caesius. A pale blue ; a blue metallic luster 

 seen on some leaves, as those of Selaginella 

 ccBsia. 



Caffre Bread. A South African name applied 

 to various species of Encephalartos, and Zamia. 



Caeruleus. Blue ; the clear blue of the sky. 



Caespitose. Growing in little tufts or patches. 



Caja'nus. Pigeon Pea. From eafjang, its Mala- 

 bar name. Nat. Ord. Leguminosce. 



A genus of valuable perennial shrubs, culti- 

 vated in the tropics for their seeds, which 

 constitute an important article of food. C. 



CAL 



indieus, is a native of the East Indies, but is 

 now naturalized and cultivated in the West 

 Indies, and most other tropical countries. Of 

 this species there are two varieties, one is 

 called the Congo Pea, in Jamaica, and fur- 

 nishes the negroes with their principal food. 

 The y ariety flavtis is called in the West Indies 

 No eye Pea, and is considered in its green 

 state but little inferior to our garden Peas, 

 and, when dried and split, quite as good. Pea- 

 meal of veiy good quality is prepared from 

 both varieties. Horses and cattle are very 

 fond of the young branches and leaves, either 

 in a fresh or dried state. Although perennial 

 shrubs, they are usually treated as annuals ; 

 after the seeds are gathered the plants are 

 used for fuel. 



Cajeput-tree. See Oreodaphne. 

 Calabar Bean, or Chopnut. Physostigma ven- 

 enosum. 



Calabash. Sweet. The fruit of Passifiora mali- 

 f or mis. 



Calabash-Tree. Various species of Crescentia. 



Cala'dium. A word of uncertain derivation, 

 probably from kaladion, a cup. Nat. Ord. 

 Aroidem. 



Of this genus of tuberous-rooted plants 

 there are many rare and beautiful species and 

 varieties that i-ank high as ornamental foliage 

 plants, useful only as green-house or rather hot- 

 house plants, as they will not succeed well 

 with a temperature below 60°. They must be 

 kept dormant from October to April, and should 

 never be chilled when started to grow. Those 

 found in the swamps of the River Amazon, in 

 the province of Para, are pre-eminent for 

 graceful growth, and for elegant and 

 brilliant markings. All the species are easily 

 propagated by division of the tuber, just as 

 the growth begins. Introduced in 1828. The 

 plant commonly known as Caladium esculen- 

 turn does not belong to this genus, and will be 

 described under Colocasia. 



Calamagro'stis. A genus of coarse-growing 

 grasses, a description of which will be found 

 under Ammophila, a division of the genus. 



Calamint. See Calamintha. 



Calami'ntha. Calamint. From kalos, beautiful, 

 and mintha, mint. Nat. Old. Labiates. 



A genus of coarse-growing, hardy herba- 

 ceous perennials, with purplish or whitish 

 flowers. They are indigenous or extensively 

 naturalized in many parts of this country. 

 They are mostly aromatic herbs, and former- 

 ly had important medicinal properties attrib- 

 uted to them. C. nepeta, Basil Thyme, is one of 

 the )»est known species. None of them has 

 sufficient merit to warrant its introduction 

 into the garden, eitlier for ornament or 

 use. 



Cala'mpells. (Ecx.-remoco.rpus.) From kalos, 

 beautiful, and ampelis, a vine. Nat. Ord. 

 BignoniaceoE. 



"The only species, C. scabra, is a well-known, 

 beautiful, half-hardy climbing plant. Trained 

 to a trellis or to a south wall in the open air, 

 it forms a very ornamental object through the 

 summer months, its bright orange-colored 

 flowers being conspicuous among the pleasing 

 delicate green of the foliage. It grows best 

 in rich loam, and should be protected in a 

 cold pit through the winter. Cuttings root 



