368 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



showy. Particularly is this the case with a number of climbing species 

 which are known as " night-flowering Cacti." Of the many species the 

 following are all worth growing : 



Climbing, or scandent kinds, which usually flower in the night, 

 suitable for training on a roof : C. grandiflorus, Lemairii, Macdonaldice, 

 Napoleonis, rostratus, and triangularis. All these produce flowers from 

 ten to thirteen inches across, ranging in colour from yellow and white 

 in the two last named to the same colours tinged with red in the others. 

 In addition, the Rat's-tail Cactus, C . flagelliformis , which flowers in the 

 day-time, makes long, thin stems, which produce pretty, small pink 

 flowers freely ; it is an excellent basket plant. Of tall, strong-growing 

 species : C. giganteus, glaucescens, Jamacarri, and Peruvianus are useful ; 

 the former, and the two latter, have white flowers which open during the 

 day. In addition, C. senilis, The Old Man Cactus, is remarkable for its 

 long white hair ; although usually seen a foot or so high, it will grow 

 to a height of ten feet or more. 



Echinocactus is characterised by short, thick, globular, deeply 

 ribbed stems, usually unbranched and covered with tufts of stiff bristles 

 and stout-hooked spines. A few of the most conspicuous of a large 

 number of species are : E. Lecontei, with a thick, globular, angled stem, 

 covered with tufts of grey bristles and strong rosy-red spines, two to 

 four and a half inches long ; E. Wislizeni, a large round plant, with long 

 wide, dull brown spines ; E. Grusonii, a large, round plant, thickly 

 covered with bright yellow spines; E. ingens, distinct by reason of its 

 almost round spines ; and E. cornigerous, electr acanthus, Emoryi, Hasel- 

 bergii, horizonthalonius , and Pfeifferi. 



Epiphyllum is a family characterised by much branched, flat, short- 

 jointed stems, the flowers being produced abundantly from the ends of 

 the branches in November and December. It requires a closer and 

 moister atmosphere than most Cacti, and should never be kept without 

 water. As the several species are found growing naturally on branches 

 and in forks of trees, a lighter soil is necessary for them. They are 

 sometimes grafted on tall stems of Pereskia, or they may be grown in 

 baskets or on rafts. When on their own roots a mixture of peat, char- 

 coal, and sand is suitable. In a moist warm house, grafted plants can 

 be grown six feet high, several feet through, and thoroughly clothed with 

 branches from the pot upwards. The flowers are bright coloured, thick 

 and fleshy, and somewhat resemble in shape those of a Salvia. E. 

 Gcertneri, with scarlet flowers, E. mssellianus, with rose flowers, and E. 

 truncatum, with red blossoms, are showy species. Of the latter, a large 

 number of garden forms are in cultivation, varying in colour from purple, 

 rose, and salmon, to white. 



Mamillaria. This genus is characterised by having intensely spiny 

 stems, and by having the whole stem covered with small bulb-like 

 tubercles. Between the different species there is a wide variation in 

 habit. Almost all are of small stature, some making a cluster of small 



