SOME ATTRACTIVE CACTI. 



429 



Fk;. 2114. ECHINOCACTUS HuRIZONTHALOMA. 



specimens, which are held at long prices. 

 Another that rivals the above is the Lizard 

 cactus, or E. cornigereus. This g^ets its 

 name from the large central spine, which is 

 flat and curved sharply at the end, and so 

 strong- that they will support a weight of 

 twenty pounds. There are two varieties of 

 the Lizard cactus, the difference being in 

 the color of the spines, which on one are 

 deep purple, and on the other a clear yellow. 

 The yellow spined sort is much the rarest. 

 E. cylindraceus, bears very long curved 

 spines (4 to 5 inches) that interlace over the 

 plant and are of all shades from white to 

 red and very stout. E. dugens always 

 attracts attention, its gray color and rigid, 

 pearl-gray spines, giving it an individuality 

 in contrast with others. Another gray 

 colored plan:: with nice even ridges and re- 

 gular spines, that needs to be seen to be 

 appreciated, is E, horizonthalonius. Another 

 beauty that should not be passed over is 

 E. ornatus mirbelle. The plant is a fine 

 shape, with prominent, sharp-edged ribs ; 

 color is green, but it is so closely covered 

 with little white woolly spots as to almost 

 look white. The spines are yellow and very 

 strong. This rivals in beauty the Golden 

 cactus. A very rare and odd plant oS. this 



family is E. turbiniformis, which is so won- 

 derfully made that it looks as though laid 

 out by a compass, and carved by a skilled 

 mechanic from a round block of green stone. 

 Still another Echinocactus of great merit is 

 E. wislizenii or Fish-hook cactus. This 

 grows to a large size, and its chief attrac- 

 tion is the stout central spines which are 

 hooked like a veritable fish-hook, and some- 

 times four inches long. The above class is 

 by many considered the handsomest of all 

 cacti and the writer confesses to being of 

 that opinion himself. The great difficulties 

 encountered in procuring them, coming as 

 most of them do from the interior of Mexico, 

 where they have sometimes to be carried 

 out on men's backs for days, over the 

 mountains, makes the price usually high on' 

 most of them, and this prohibits their being- 

 more generally found in collections. The 

 Echinocereus family does not contain so 

 many attractive plants in regard to spines, 

 but they make up for it in the profusion of 

 their magnificent blooms. E. candicans 



Fic;. 2165. Echinocereus. 



