SO CACTUS CULTURE FOR AMATEURS. 



of the noble C. irlangularis which had suddenly rotted at the base 

 ^yas paved by placing a mound of brick rubble and soil high enough 

 to surround the base of the plant above the rotted part. In a few 

 weeks there was a good crop of new root; formed, and the plant 

 afterwards grew most satisfactorily. These plants are singularly 

 tenacious of life, the largest and oldest stems, if treated as cuttings, 

 being capable of forming new roots freely. 



C. Childsii. 



This is described as a pink -flowered, night-blooming Cereus, 

 of stout upright growth, with four large ribs (angles). Flowers 

 composed of six rows of petals, which are recurved, the innumerable 

 stamens standing well above them. The entire flower measures ,*>0 

 inches in circumference, and is very fragrant. May be a form of ( '. 

 rariabilifi, the flowers of which are, however, white. 



C. extensus. 



This has long stems, bluntly triangular, less than 1 inch thick, 

 with very short spines, arranged in pairs or threes, about 1 inch 

 apart along the angles. The llowers are developed from the mature 

 stems, and have a thick, green, scaly tube, about 3 inch long, and a 

 cup about 9 inches across, formed of the long- pom ted .sepals and 

 petals, the former yellow, green, and red, the latter white, tinted 

 with rose. Trinidad, 1843. 



C. fulgidus. 



In its orange-scarlet flowers, this stands alone among night- 

 flowering kinds. It is a hybrid between a Phyllocactus and a 

 climbing Cereus, and first flowered at Kew in July, 1870. The stems 

 are bright green, three or four-angled, about 2 inches thick ; margins 

 notched, with clusters of short, hair-like spines at each notch. 

 Flowers G inches long, and about the same in width ; tube covered 

 with soft hairs and short deep-red scales, which, along with the 

 petals, form a large rosette like a semi- double rose, with a brush-like 

 cluster of greenish stamens. 



C. grandiflorus. 



A magnificent climber. A strong plant will produ3e dozens 

 of flowers together, opening in the evening, and fading the 

 next morning. The closing of the flower may be retarded by 

 removing it before it is fully open and placing it in water. The 

 stems are almost cylindrical, with four to seven angles, which bear 

 numerous tufts of wool and short stiff spines. The flowers are 

 developed in July on the sides of the younger, short stems ; tube 

 about 4 inches long by 1 inch in diameter, covered with short brown 

 scales and whitish hairs ; sepals narrow, bright yellow inside, brown 

 outside ; petals broad, pure white, arranged to form a cup a foot 

 in diameter, enclosing the numerous yellow stamens and the club- 



