8oo 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



Fig. 536. — Melocactus 

 communis. 



ends of the young branches, are from 2in. to 3m. in diameter, 

 and bright purple ; the plant will attain a height of from 8ft. 



to 30ft. O. basilaris (Fig. 537) has 

 a very curious habit, the stem being 

 short, and producing a number of 

 flat branches which spread out at 

 the top. O. braziliensis has a straight, 

 slender stem from 10ft. to 30ft. high, 

 having short lateral branches ; the 

 flowers are pale yellow. O. cylindrica 

 has cylindrical stems and branches ; 

 the flowers are scarlet, and very 

 numerous. O. Ficus - indica is 

 the. Indian Fig, so well known 

 on account of its Pear-shaped fruit ; 

 it grows from 8ft. to 12 ft. high, and 

 has yellow flowers. O. Rafinesquii 

 is a low-spreading species (Fig. 538), 

 with flowers of a bright yellow colour, 

 produced in profusion on the edges 

 of the young joints ; the fruit is 

 Pear-shaped and edible. O. Tuna is erect, with flat stems ; the 

 flowers are orange-red, borne on the newly ripened joints. 

 Others sorts are O. aurantiaca, O. boliviano,, O. Emotyi, 

 O. Engelmanni, O. frufescens, O. microdasys, O. missouriensis, 

 and O. polyacantha. 



Pereskia (Barbados Goose- 

 berry). — These are chiefly grown 

 to afford stocks for Epiphyllums, 

 &c. However, P. Bleo is very 

 decorative, having red blossoms. 



Phyllocactuses are the most 

 ornamental of all the Cacti, and the 

 species are largely grown on that 

 account. They have fine flowers, 

 varying in shades of rose, white, 

 and red. When of a good size, 

 the plants benefit by a top-dressing 

 of rich soil ; and during the grow- 

 ing season liquid manure may also 

 be given. Till the end of the 

 summer they will be greatly assisted 

 in ripening if placed against a dry 

 wall, well exposed to the sun. 

 Sorts : P. Ackermanni (Fig. 539) 

 has large handsome flowers of a deep scarlet colour. P. anguliger 

 has very deeply-notched branches and a stiff, erect habit ; the 



Fig. 537.— Opuntia basilaris. 



