126 THE UNHEATED GREENHOUSE 



curious forms and in the colour and diversity of their prickly 

 spines than in their flowers. The pretty little Texan M. 

 lasiacantha is remarkable for the silvery, feather-like tufts 

 which take the place of the sharp spines so characteristic of 

 these singular Cacti. 



In summering succulent plants in pots of all kinds out of 

 doors, it is well to raise them well above the ground level, out 

 of the way of slugs and snails, which are exceedingly fond of 

 browsing upon their juicy stems and leaves, causing much 

 disfigurement which cannot afterwards be remedied. A plat- 

 form of some kind, however temporary, with a hard surface, 

 as of slates, for the pots to stand on, is very much to be recom- 

 mended. Mesembryanthemums more particularly fill their 

 pots with roots very quickly, and should never be allowed to 

 strike through the drainage-holes into the soil. Even on a 

 hard standing-place the pots should be moved pretty often, as 

 it tends to check over-luxuriance of growth, which not only 

 makes them tender but hinders abundant flowering. A very 

 sharp, gritty soil suits most succulent plants, though it is not 

 unusual to find that, in fear of feeding this class of plant too 

 much, growers run into the other extreme of starving them. 



A large proportion of Cacti and plants of like nature are 

 tolerably hardy. As to that, one must be guided in the 

 choice of kinds suitable for an unheated greenhouse by a 

 knowledge of their native habitats. Most plants from Cape 

 Colony are subjected at times to somewhat severe frost, 

 especially at high altitudes, and in Colorado and elsewhere in 

 the New World where Cacti abound, they are often under 

 snow for weeks together. What they cannot stand, however, 

 is superabundance of damp in winter, either in soil or atmos- 

 phere, and drip is fatal, especially when followed by severe 

 frost. Dry cold is not particularly injurious, but these very 

 accommodating plants may be placed almost anywhere for 

 safety in severe weather in a bay-window or on a vacant 



