158 HOT-HOUSE OF REPOTTING, ETC. [May 



E. fulgens, large violet crimson firmly formed flowers, very 

 desirable; E. Grahamii, very distinct, of a brilliant rose 

 colour; E.specibso major y large delicate rose. E. Hibbertii, 

 E. ffobdii, E. B^ydii, E. Devduxii, E. quittardittii, E. 

 Feastiij E. Vdndesii, E. Mayfly, E. elegantissima, and E. 

 Naiperii, and no doubt many other varieties and subva- 

 rieties, will be continually making their appearance. All 

 the Epiphyllum tribe require a very rich open soil, not of too 

 sandy a nature, as they thereby grow to wood, and bloom but 

 sparingly give plenty of drainage. (Soil No. 18.) 



Opuntias, upwards of fifty species, and are those whose 

 branches are in thick joints, flat, oblong, or ovate; spines 

 solitary or in clusters. Some of the plants are very desirable 

 for their singular appearance, and some of them, particularly 

 0. cochmillifera, are valuable for feeding the Cochineal 

 insect. 0. microddsys, 0. ferox, 0. lacte-spina, 0. sericed, 

 and some others, are beautiful plants, and will grow in any 

 kind of soil, but No. 2 will suit them best. 



Pereskias. About four species, and those that are of a 

 shrubby nature, producing leaves: P. aculedta bears a fruit 

 called, "Barbadoes gooseberry." The flowers are very small 

 and simple, spines about half an inch long, leaves fleshy and 

 elliptical. (Soil No. 2.) 



The whole of the plants in the family of Cactece. require 

 very little water in winter, and delight in a dry, warm situa- 

 tion. They do not agree with very frequent repotting ; once 

 a year to young plants, and in two or three to those that are 

 established, with the exception of the large, free-flowering 

 species, which should be repotted once in two years, and never 

 be allowed to shrink for want of moisture. 



The operation of grafting is very simple, merely requir- 

 ing an incision to be made, and fitting in it a fresh cutting 

 of another kind, holding the cutting stationary in the inci- 

 sion half a minute, till the juices of the two adhere together, 

 when it may be said the union is effected, and, in a few 

 weeks, the new branches will grow freely. We have seen 

 the Mamm'dlaria tribe growing neatly upon the triangular is, 

 and other species of the cereus. 



Ceropegia elegdns is the only species of any merit ; it is a 

 thin-growing climbing plant, producing a great profusion of 

 rery curious flowers of a greenish colour, spotted with brown ; 



