HUMUS. 



157 



Fig. 2292. Mam, Nivea Cristata. 



specimen. In a small photo is shown a 

 specimen of Pilocereus Hoppenstedli, one 

 of the Old Man style of Cacti. Some au- 

 thorities class this family with the Cereus, 

 but the characteristic hairy spines would 

 seem to entitle them to their own distinc- 

 tive name. They are found in mountain- 

 ous parts of Mexico, and will stand long- 

 drought. A very porous soil, with a gfood 

 deal of lime mixed in, seems to suit them 

 well, and when making- growth they enjoy 



plenty of water poured over them. Indeed 

 a good scrubbing- with soap and water is 

 not only good for them but gives them a 

 better appearance. 



The third engraving- shows an extremely 

 rare and fine specimen of the Mamillaria 

 family. It is M. nivea cristata, a cristated 

 form of a pretty species called M. nivea. 

 This plant is the finest of the kind the 

 writer has ever seen, and was lately sold to 

 Dean Innes, of London, whose fine collec- 

 tion it now ornaments. It was exhibited at 

 the Pan American with McDonell's exhibit 

 from Mexico, where it wa:; admired and 

 coveted by many Cacti collectors. The 

 natural form of the plant is round, like a 

 coxcomb in shape, and must have taken 

 from 50 to 75 years to reach its present pro- 

 portions. 



These plants are very rarely found, and 

 bring high prices, one very large specimen 

 at the Pan American being held at $150. 

 It was almost as larg-e as a tub, but was 

 not all cristate, most of it being the natural 

 form of M. nivea, with three cristates in 

 cluster. Dean Innes' plant, as a specimen 

 of cristate form alone is much finer. 



In our next Cacti talk we will try and 

 show some good grafted Cacti. 



Woodstock, Ont. J. H. Callander. 



HUMUS. 



Soil well supplied with humus is in the 

 best possible condition to generate these in- 

 fluences. Humus keeps the ground from 

 becoming compact, makes it loose, allowing 

 a free circulation of air. Then vegetable de- 

 composition creates heat, and its spongy 

 nature increases the capacity of soil for hold- 

 ing water. While plants need water and 

 must have it, they will not thrive on too wet 

 land. Good drainage adds very materially 



to the fertile condition of the soil because it 

 aids decomposition of elements of plant food. 

 It stimulates a deeper root growth, and in 

 doing so it increases the supply drawn from 

 the subsoil. Drainage, manuring, rotation 

 and tillage are practices essential to the 

 supply and maintenance of soil fertility. — 

 W. S. Tompkins before N. B. Farmers' 

 Institute. 



