Culture of Epiphyllum truncatum. 139 



and its exquisitely beautiful blossoms be witnessed by every ad- 

 mirer of flowers, I beg these remarks may appear in the columns 

 of your interesting Magazine. 



I could never satisfactorily grow the Epiphyllum truncatum 

 upon its own bottom ; and, therefore, was induced to try what 

 could be effected by grafting. In the spring of 1830, I inserted 

 a graft on Cactus triangularis, about 6 in. above the pot: the 

 result of this experiment has been highly gratifying, and the 

 plant is now 15 in. in height, and has pendulous branches falling 

 in all directions to the bottom of the pot. For four years suc- 

 cessively the plant has flowered freely, increasing the number of 

 its blossoms as it has increased in size. In November last it 

 produced 107 flowers, and was greatly admired by all who saw 

 it. The compost used was one half loam, the other half equal 

 proportions of peat and leaf mould, and the pot was well crocked 

 at the bottom. 



I have several plants of E. truncatum growing wild upon 

 Peresk/a aculeata ; but whether they will ultimately arrive at the 

 desired perfection, remains to be proved : the wood of the latter 

 being in texture more of the nature of a shrub than that of the 

 former, I have my doubts ; yet, having a fine plant of Cereus 

 flagelliformis growing upon Peresk/a, I feel encouraged to hope 

 for success. 



I have a border 18 in. wide round the inside of the pit of a 

 stove, filled with compost, in which I put such plants as I 

 imagine will grow better in this situation than in pots. In this 

 border, a plant of Epiphyllum speciosum, grafted, also, on Cereus 

 triangularis, was planted about eight years ago ; and it is now 

 3 ft. 6 in. high, and 4 ft. 6 in. in diameter, and would have been 

 much larger had it not been pruned back occasionally, to prevent 

 it from hanging over the pathway. The plant is supported by 

 a wood frame, the formation of which is nearly that of a parasol ; 

 and the profusion of flowers which it produces every spring is 

 really astonishing. Last spring it presented a complete cone of 

 flowers, to the number of above 1000. This plant having pro- 

 duced such a striking effect, 1 have planted two of the E. trun- 

 catum in the same border, and I hope to realise similar results. 

 This border I find to be excellent for the varieties of Gesner/a, 

 Gloxin/fl', Trevirana coccinea, &c. ; and they make a splendid 

 show in it during the summer months. 



P. S. The solandra of which I reported to you, and the ac- 

 count of which is published in Vol. XII. p. 413. of this Magazine, 

 ripens its seed ; and I have seedlings of it in great abundance. 



Cloivaiice, Jan. 14. 1837. 



