290 MORE POT-POURRI 



glorious.' My correspondent adds that some years ago 

 he got into a controversy with experts in ' The Gar- 

 dener's Chronicle' about these flowers, and one corre- 

 spondent said that his Oereus remained in bloom six 

 weeks. That must have been a very large plant with 

 many blooms. Some of the most beautiful Cereuses are 

 so large they only seem to flower well if planted in the 

 open ground under glass. I think more than ever that 

 it is worth whUe to grow Cactuses — for anyone who 

 spends the summer at home. I am obliged to add this, 

 as one says 'Do you take sugar or cream?' at teatime, 

 for hardly anyone now does stay at home. Cactuses 

 have a way of flowering when they choose. They will 

 not wait for you if you are away, and their blooms only 

 last a short time ; but when they do condescend to 

 flower, the beauty of them is exquisite — far more rare 

 and lovely than any Orchid that I know. I have lately 

 been able to procure a book for which I have waited a 

 long time, 'Bliihende Cacteen,' by Dr. Pfeiffer and 

 P. R. Otto. It was published in Cassel (Germany) in 

 1843, and is a monograph on Cactuses, in two volumes 

 bound in one. The prints are very well drawn, and the 

 flowers hand -coloured. The text, unfortunately perhaps, 

 is written only in German and French. 



For all who wish to increase their Phloxes, Michael- 

 mas Daisies, and hardy Chrysanthemums, it is quite 

 possible in this month or early in May not only to divide 

 them, as I said before, but to take off the shoots and 

 stick them in the ground. This gives you the plants 

 much less taU than if allowed to grow on the original 

 root. Many of the herbaceous things will root in this 

 way in spring. Cuttings of the white Everlasting Pea 

 certainly do. 



Gerasus pseudo-cerasus, as sold by Messrs. Veitch & 

 Coi, is very like Gerasus Watereri in Mr. Robinson's 



