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their quaint forms and brilliant colours for others besides 

 business men and persons in feeble health. Far from it. The 

 flat-leaved Cactuses (Phyllocacti) before - mentioned have 

 flowers of exceeding beauty, and, besides, are not beset with 

 the cruel spines which belong to so many of their kin. The 

 old pink Cactus (P. phyllanthoides) is one of the most valuable 

 of any of this section, though, strange to say, it is not very 

 well known. The soft rose-pink tubular flowers are borne 

 in great numbers, and are much longer- lasting than many 

 others of the same family. The white-flowered P. crenatus 

 and the still finer Cereus grandiflorus are still the cynosure 

 of all eyes during their brief season of beauty, though the 

 time has long gone by since supper parties used to be 

 arranged in order to watch the wonderful unfolding of the 

 shaggy grey buds of the Night-blowing Cereus into the great 

 milk-white blossoms which were to fade so quickly before 

 the dawn of a new-born day. 



To come to another group, Agaves and Aloes also fill a 

 very useful place, and well-grown specimens are handsome 

 whether in or out of bloom. Echeverias and Cotyledons, 

 though smaller, may be put into the same category. In the 

 genial climate of the Scilly Isles and in positions sheltered 

 from cold winds, these will all live and thrive out of doors. 

 To show the profusion with which the somewhat shy aloes 

 will bloom there under suitable conditions in the open air, a 

 unique and striking decoration for a large dinner-table may 

 be mentioned which once seen could never be forgotten, com 

 posed entirely of the fine clear yellow flowers, tipped with 

 green, of a species very much at home in the rock-garden, 

 arranged with suitable greenery. One reason why succulent 

 plants are seldom so satisfactory as they might be is because 

 they are kept too much under glass, whereas, as gardeners 

 express it, they cannot in most cases be grown too " hard." 

 The hottest exposure in the garden should be allotted to them, 



