& THE CULTURE OF COMMON PLANTS 



the Spanish style, with a large court in the center. At the 

 corners are wings, two stories in height, which give the build- 

 ing a peculiarly commanding aspect. Near the northwest 

 wing are a number of stately Cereus, whose gigantic columns 

 outlined against the white walls of the residence are most 

 strikingly effective. 



The great family of cacti are classified according to their 

 most distinctive peculiarities, their manner of growth, and so 

 on. Some are upright, others clinging or trailing, some 

 round, oval or globose, while their spines are of most diversi- 

 fied color and style, but always with a decided point! 



The principal genera are Mamillaria, Cereus, Echino~ 

 cactus, Echinocereus, Anhalonium, Rhipsalis, Epiphyllum, 

 Melocactus, Pilocereus, Phyllocactus, and Echinopsis. 

 They are all easily propagated from the seed, but life is not 

 long enough to make this method of culture worth while, 

 since they take so long to grow and flower, and cuttings are 

 easily made; or one may buy small plants of the specialists 

 at a very small price, save in the case of rare species. 



The largest cactus known is the Cereus giganlea of Ari- 

 zona, which often attains a height of fifty feet. Cereus col- 

 umbrinas is a cylindrical cactus that attains great height and 

 is a very beautiful night bloomer. I have read of a hedge in 

 the garden of the college of Oahu, two miles from Honolulu, 

 that is 1 ,500 feet long, which has had 1 0,000 blossoms open 

 in a single night and which fills the whole neighborhood 

 with its wonderful perfume. The grandiflora is another 

 wonderful cactus, an epiphyte, and with stems, the small 



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