180 THE FLOWER GARDEN COMPANION. 



gooseberry, with the appearance of a drum-slick, for novelty's 

 sake, is the best specimen I can give of such incongruities. 



The operation is performed in various ways, as by taking 

 off the top of the cylindricus and tall growing kinds, and 

 making an incision in the top with the point of a sharp knife, 

 downwards in the centre. The graft is then prepared by 

 cutting it off at a joint, and paring off each side of the bark in 

 the form of a wedge. The. graft is then inserted in the in- 

 cision and closed up with wax, tallow, or other pliable sub- 

 stance, to keep out the wet and air from the part where the 

 scion and stalk are united. The Opuntia are grafted by 

 cutting the top of the stock downwards in a transverse 

 section; then cutting the graft in the form of a wedge, and 

 inserting in the same manner as wedge grafting of fruit trees. 

 These grafts are generally confined in their places by running 

 through the stock and graft with the prickle of the stock, or 

 a sharp pin made of wood, &c. 



Culture of the Cactus in Rooms. The Cactus does ad- 

 mirably well in the parlor or warm dry rooms, dry heat 

 agreeing better with it than almost any other tribe of plants ; 

 but care must be taken that they are not allowed to be frozen, 

 which is injurious to the tender kinds. 



The management is simply this. In the winter months, 

 keep the earth moderately dry, and at no time over-water 

 them, as this is the season for them to lie dormant and form 

 their flower-buds. When the spring advances, about the 

 first weeks in March more water may be applied, and the 

 roots kept moderately moist, but not too wet. The situation 

 chosen should be where they may receive a full share of the 

 sun, and if possible in the warmest part of the room. The 

 guide given for the green-house, will answer, in every par- 

 ticular, for the parlor. 



In selecting a List of Cactus, I have chosen those which are 

 free flowering varieties, and will answer well for rooms. 

 The height and time of flowering has been omitted, as most 

 of the Cactae are dwarf growing kinds, except those of the 



