HEEBS, TUBEES AND BULBS. 315 



and Cerms for the SpiphyUums, and the smaller, globularHShaped genera. 

 For many years I have employed the Gereus speciossimiis as a stock for 

 the varieties of Crab Cactus {EpiphyUu/n truncatum), and the plants 

 appear to thrive as well as on other and stronger-gi-owing stocks. In 

 grafting, all that is necessary is to place the fresh cut surface of the cion 

 against a similar surface of the stock, and keep the two in contact until 

 a union is formed. When small species, like the Crab Cactuses, are 

 grafted, it is best to use a wedge-shaped cion and insert it into a cleft at 

 the top of the stock, then thrust a sliver of pine wood thi'ough both cion 

 and stock, or in other words, pin them together. A sharp, strong spine 

 of a cactus will answer for a pin, and this may be left in place until a 

 firm union is formed, and then withdrawn with a pair of nippers. In 

 grafting the small globular-shaped species on stocks of the tall-growing 

 kind, scoop out a little of the pulpy matter from the top of the stock, 

 then set the freshly cut cion in this depression and tie it firmly in place. 

 The soil for Cactuses should be made up of rather coarse materials, such 

 as partly decomposed sods, with plenty of di-ainage when grown in pots. 



Catnpanulacece (BeUflower Family). — A family of herbs and sub- 

 shmbs. The genus most highly pi-ized and best known is the Campa- 

 nula or BeUflower. Flowers mostly blue or white, with intermediate 

 shades. There are annual, biennial, and perennial species, the latter 

 being most extensively cultivated, as they ai'e nearly all quite hai'dy and 

 thrive in any good garden soil. Beadily propagated by seed sown in 

 frames, or in the open ground in spring, and by divisions of the roots. 



CapparidacecB (Caper Family). — Herbs and shnibs, rarely trees, 

 distributed throughout the warmer regions of both hemispheres. There 

 are twenty-three genera, and nearly or quite three hundred species. The 

 best known genera are Oapparis, Oleome, and Oratmia. The latter yields 

 the curious Garlic Pear ( O. Tapia), of Central America, a tree growing 

 to the height of thirty to forty feet. Capparis spinosa, native of the 

 Levant, yields the well-known Caper of commerce, while several species 

 of Cleome are culiivated in greenhouses for their flowers. All readily 

 propagated by seed, or cuttings of the young, tender shoots planted in 

 sand under glass. 



CaryophyllacecB (Pink Family). — A very large family of low-grow- 

 ing herbs, consisting of annuals, biennials, and perennials. The most 

 interesting genera are Dianthus, Lychnis, Silene, and Gerasiium. Tht 

 common Carnations (Diantfms CaryophyUus), especially the monthly or 

 perpetual bloomers, have become exceedingly popular of late years and 

 are now extensively cultivated by florists, as they bloom most freely 

 during the winter months. They succeed best in a cool gi-eenhouse, or 

 pits where the temperature can be kept at about sixty degrees during 

 the day, and not much below forty-flve at night. The plants are almost 

 hardy, but require a moderate heat to develop the flower buds. Propa- 

 gated by layers and cuttings, and new vaiieties are raised from seed. 

 Cuttings strike root so freely that this is the usual mode of propagation. 



