THE 



GARDENER'S MAGAZINE, 



APRIL, 1839. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. On the Extension and Use of the Cacti. By Professor 

 Zuccarini, Subcurator of the Royal Botanic Garden at Munich.* 



(Translated from the " Garten Zeitung " of 1837, vol. v. p. 57., by J. L.) 



Although in the year 1799 Willdenow enumerated only 29 Cacti, and 

 Persoon only 32 in 1807, the number of species has increased, since the 

 latter period, with such rapidity, thatDe Candolle,in 1828, acknowledged 162 

 decided species ; and now those contained in the largest collections, taken 

 together, certainly amount to more than 500 living species in cultivation ; 

 we know that we are yet far from having a perfect knowledge of this family. 

 The Cacti extend in nature over a space of 95° degrees of latitude, and yet 

 but very few of the localities are sufficiently explored ; a neglect which is 

 so much the more to be lamented, as it has been observed that some par- 

 ticular species (with the exception of the Opuntias in cultivation) are confined 

 to very small localities. All travellers who have visited the temperate and tro- 

 pical parts of America speak of the enormous number of Cacti they saw there; 

 but, instead of rendering us better acquainted with the species, they only 

 make a general complaint of the annoyance occasioned by these vegetables, 

 and of the barrenness of the soil in which they grow ; and many of them, 

 nay, even the very best collectors, openly confess that they consider the 

 Cacti among their greatest enemies. Even Poppig, one of the most zealous 

 and correct observers, expresses his aversion from them in his Travels.-^ 



They are certainly not calculated for herbariums, and even their descrip- 

 tions from life, unless accompanied by accurate drawings on the spot, would 

 not be sufficient to give a correct idea of them ; but, as they will bear without 

 injury a journey of several months' duration, it is much to be lamented that, 

 in modern times, they are more frequently brought over by amateurs than by 

 professional men. It is true, that Baron von Karwinski, Dr. Coulter, 

 Schiede, and others, have brought an amazing number of Cacti from Mexico 

 to Europe ; but each of these botanists always found again new species in the 

 localities not far separated. 



When Brazil, Peru, Chile, and Paraguay are once thoroughly explored, the 

 Antilles will unfold their treasures ; and it is cheering to see the predilection 



* Extracted from Planiarum novarum vet minus cognitarum, quce in iJorto 

 Herbarioque regio Monacensi servantur, Fasciculus tertius: Cactece. Descripsit 

 Dr. Joseph Gerh. Zuccarini. Memoirs of the Mathematical Physic Class of 

 the Royal Academy of Sciences at Munich, vol. ii. 1837. 



f His expressions are : " In travelling, plants are met with, which we soon 

 feel may truly be called our enemies, and among those may be reckoned the 

 tree kind of torch thistles, which abound in Chile, and continually meet 

 the eye wherever you turn." {Travels, vol. i. p. 229.) And again, in vol.ii. 

 p. 145. : " And, as the abominable Cactus vegetation everywhere continually 

 annoys in Peru and Chile, so is it also about Huanuco," &c. 



Vol. XV. — No. 109. m 



