CACTI FOR AMATEURS 



THIRTY or forty years ago, Cacti were far better known than at the 

 present time, though during the last few years a decided change has 

 taken place in their favour. It is hard to understand why in so many 

 places their cultivation should be ignored, for although they may not 

 be " decorative," in no other class of plants do we get such curious, 

 weird, and fantastic stems, such wonderful arrangements of spines, or, 

 in numerous instances, such lovely flowers. The flowers of the night- 

 flowering Cereus are powerfully fragrant, a foot or more across, rich 

 in colour and exquisitely formed, springing apparently from dried-up 

 branches. In Phyllocactus we get large, rich-coloured flowers springing 

 from the sides of small flat branches, and in Epiphyllum long, waxy, 

 bright-coloured flowers in such profusion as to hide the branches. Cactus 

 culture is a good hobby for beginners. 



Cultivation. In the first instance, though a large house is advisable 

 for anything like a complete collection, from the slow growth of many 

 little room is required, and large numbers may be grown in a small 

 house ; or if a house is not to be had, a considerable number may be 

 grown in a cold frame, in a glass-case in a room as ordinary winter 

 plants, or, if a warm sunny position can be found, a few may even be 

 grown out of doors. Again, as they are natives of hot, dry, desert 

 regions, they are not so susceptible to injury as many other things if 

 watering cannot be attended to regularly, and they occasionally become 

 dry ; in fact, with a few exceptions, no water at all is required for at least 

 six months of the year. Then again, being of slow growth, repotting 

 is necessary only at rare intervals. Except in one or two cases which 

 will be mentioned later, the following method of cultivation will be 

 found satisfactory: The majority require a minimum winter tem- 

 perature of from 50 degrees to 55 degrees, rising on sunny days to 60 

 degrees. During summer no shading should be given, and the tempera- 

 ture, without fire heat, allowed to rise as high as possible, giving a free 

 circulation of air. Throughout the growing season, from the end of April 

 to the end of July, plenty of water will be required at the roots, with 

 medium syringings overhead twice daily. After the later date, water 

 must be gradually withheld, none at all being given after the middle of 

 September throughout the winter. Repotting should only be done 

 when the pots are thoroughly filled with roots, or when the soil seems 

 to be in bad condition. In the latter case, all old soil should be washed 

 from the roots. April is the best time to repot. The compost should 

 have as its principal part good fibrous loam, adding to every five parts 



366 



