CKRKUS CUTTINGS 



A, plant showing suitable cuttings, 

 which must be severed as de- 

 noted by the curved dark line; 

 B, ample drainage ; C, sand and 

 fine gravel. 



FLOWERS FOR SUBURBAN GARDENS 397 



however. Take the Cereuses first of all. They are most brilliant 



flowers. Two of the best known species are fulgidus, with scarlet 



flowers, and speciosissimus, also with scar- 

 let flowers. Both are very showy plants. ( 



Flagelliformis, which produces pink flowers 



in spring, is a good plant for growing in 



baskets. Grandiflorus and nycticalus, both 



of which have white flowers, bloom at 



night. Macdonaldiae, which has white flowers 



with red sepals, is also a night bloomer. 



The Cereuses give no trouble, as they 



rarely require repotting, need no water in 



winter, and will grow in any light, sunny, 



fairly warm house. They like a compost 



of sandy loam and broken brick, with sand 



and charcoal. 



There are many bright plants in the genus Echinocactus, and 



Epiphyllums are still more desirable, as they include the bril- 

 liant species truncatum and its several 

 varieties. These are plants of greater 

 luxuriance than many of the Cacti, and 

 may have some leaf-mould added to the 

 loam, say a quarter, instead of shat- 

 tered brick. If kept dry and rested in 

 winter in a cool house they may be re- 

 started towards the close of winter, and 

 will flower splendidly in a window in 

 early summer. They are propagated by 

 grafting. 



The Mammillarias are an important 

 genus. They are low and cylindrical, 



with many spines. Crassispina, dolichocentra, elongata, and longi- 



mamma are three of the principal species. Like most of the 



OPUNTIA CUTTINGS 



A shows the right cutting to select ; B, 

 drainage material in pot ; C, coarse 

 sand and fine gravel around the base 

 of the cutting. 



