figured in foreign periodicals. 27 



will contain, when completed, from three hundred to four hun- 

 dred varieties. — Ed. 



Ecliino cactus Ottoms. — A plant of this species flowered the 

 first time, with us, in Septemher, 1S39. It was imported 

 from Germany the preceding year, and was, at the time of 

 flowering, three years old. It bore but one flower, which 

 expanded about twenty days after it began to protrude from 

 the plant. It was about eleven inches in circumference, with- 

 out a stem; it had a treble row of recurved petals, of the 

 most beautiful bright straw color, of a lanceolate acuminate 

 form, somewhat serrated at the tips. The stamens were very 

 numerous, as in most of the cactus tribe, and the anthers twelve 

 cleft, rich deep crimson, standing erect above the stamens. It 

 expanded about ten o'clock, A. M., and closed about three, 

 P. ]\I.,and kept expanding and closing in this manner for three 

 successive days. 



Last summer we had two plants of the same kind flower in 

 July; each plant bore a succession of flowers that lasted for 

 several weeks, having each two to four flowers expanded at the 

 same time. Their dimensions were not so large as the one 

 described above, perhaps in consequence of being more nume- 

 rous. We would recommend this species to every lover of 

 this interesting genus: it blooms freely and regularly, and well 

 repays the cultivator. 



Cereus obtusus. — This species we imported also from Ger- 

 many two years ago, and at the time of flowering, (July, J 840,) 

 was five years old: it resembles somewhat the Cereus grandi- 

 flora in appearance. It is of much more vigorous growth, spines 

 brighter, nearly white, color very dark brownish green, with four 

 blunt angles: it is one of the creeping kind, although mentioned 

 in Loudon's Encyclopedia as "erect:" it is also night-blooming. 

 It is unnecessary to enter into a minute description of the flow- 

 er, as it bears a great degree of similarity, in form, size, color, 

 and all its habits, to the grandiflora: it was said, by a number 

 of persons who saw both, that the obtusus made by far a grand- 

 er display. 



We have a great many new varieties, which we expect to 

 bloom next summer, of which we shall give you due notice. — 

 Ellwangcr Sf Barry., Rochester^ JWw York, Dec. 1840. 



J\"cio Camellias lately introduced. — Since the spring of 1838, 

 there has been but a small number of new varieties of the ca- 

 mellia introduced. In the early part of our fifth volume, (p. 25,) 

 we gave a descriptive list of upwards of thirty new varieties, 



