AND CONSEEVATOET, 207 



considerable dimensions by tbe following spring. E. rosea 

 belongs to the bushy growing section : the leaves average three 

 inches in length and half an inch in width, and towards the 

 end of the summer the margin becomes of a brilliant carmine, 

 which increases in intensity up to the middle of the winter. 

 The tuft of flowers with which each stem is covered in spring 

 is unique, beautiful, and curious. 



All the echeverias should be potted in a rather light gritty 

 and rich compost, as they require something more substantial 

 than broken brickbats, which many think is so essential in the 

 cultivation of succulent plants. A very suitable compost may 

 be obtained by well incorporating together four parts turfy 

 loam, one part decayed cow-dung perfectly free from grub, 

 and one part of silver sand. 



Very few cultivators are able to increase their stock except- 

 ing from offsets, which at its best is a very slow affair. All 

 strike readily from the leaves, and also from seed. A con- 

 siderable degree of care is necessary in handling the seed, as 

 it is very small, like that of the calceolaria ; and if buried too 

 deep and kept either too wet or too dry, a very small propor- 

 tion, if any, will come up. The soil with which the seed-pots 

 are filled should be very liglit and sandy, and made perfectly 

 level on the top ; then scatter the seed thinly over the surface, 

 and cover it with a sprinkling o£ silversand. A warm green- 

 house will be the most suitable position both for the seed-pots 

 and the young plants until they become well established. 

 Leaf propagation is effected by snipping off the small leaves 

 from the flowering stems, and then inserting them in cutting 

 pots prepared in the usual way. It is necessary to insert the 

 base of each leaf in the sand, and to prevent the leaves 

 becoming loose thrust a small piece of stick through them, to 

 fix them firmly in the soil. 



Cactus. — Under this head we shall speak of the globular 

 species of the great Cactus family, comprising Mammilaria, 

 Melocactus, Echinocactus, Cactus, and Cereus. To grow them in 

 brick rubbish is a mistake ; they require a mixture of equal 

 parts turfy loam and leaf mould, or if the last named mate- 

 rial is not available, fibry peat must be mixed with the loam 

 and about a fourth part of the whole bulk of silver sand 

 added. The best time to repot them is from March to May. 

 The operation requires to be carefully performed for two rea- 



