THE BABY CACTUS 49 



whole plant is covered with a dense growth of white radial 

 spines with dark tips, and a group of six to a dozen central 

 spines whitish below, and with the upper half black shading 

 off to a reddish brown. This gives the plant a striking ap- 

 pearance. All of the spines are very stiff. The flowers are 

 straw-colored, about an inch and a half long, and have light 

 pink tips. The petals are lance-shaped and narrow. 



How to grow 



Plants may be grown out of doors where the temperatures 

 in winter are not lower than fifteen or twenty degrees below 

 freezing, that is 12° to 17° Fahrenheit. In colder climates 

 than this the plants must be protected in winter or grown in 

 sunny, warm conservatories. They may be grown from 

 seed in pots in sandy soil with partial shade and with enough 

 watering to keep the soil moist but not wet. Transplant 

 larger plants in sandy or gravelly soil in bright sunny expos- 

 ures and give only occasional irrigation during dry periods. 



Cream Cactus (Mammillaria MacDougalU) 



(Named for Dr. D. T. MacDougal, collector of western 



plants and Director of the Desert Botanical Laboratory 



of the Carnegie Institution) 



How to identify and how it grows 



The Cream Cactus grows from solitary stems or heads, 

 and in many instances in clusters four inches high and six 

 inches in diameter. The tops of the plants are flattened 

 with the centers depressed, or often growing level with the 

 ground. The older plants are much taller and broader. 

 The tubercles are placed spirally and are a half-inch long. 

 If injured they yield a white creamy fluid. There are eleven 

 to thirteen radial spines with one to three centrals whose 

 bases are yellow and bulbous. The spine body is a pale red 



