52 THE FANTASTIC CLAN 



How to grow 



Plants will endure twenty degrees of frost without Injury; 

 where the winters are colder than this, protection must be 

 given or the plants must be grown under glass. They grow 

 readily from seed In sandy or clay loam In pots or flats, with 

 just enough water to keep the soil moist, not wet. Large 

 plants transplant with difficulty; the roots should not be In- 

 jured In digging, and the plants should be set In gravelly clay 

 and watered occasionally during dry spells. 



Slender Pincushion Cactus (Mammillaria 



fasciculata — Mammillaria Thornberi) 



(Named fasciculata from Its habit of growing In clumps; 



Thornberi in honor of one of the authors of this book, who 



rediscovered It) 



How to identify and how it grows 



The Slender Pincushion Cactus grows in the form of slen- 

 der stems In dense clusters of fifty to two hundred plants of 

 many sizes, all crowded closely together. The stems are 

 four to seven Inches tall, and an Inch or so In diameter. They 

 seem to be thickened a bit in the middle and taper off toward 

 the bases and tips. The tubercles are arranged In eight to 

 twelve spiral rows, all less than a quarter of an inch long, 

 and somewhat four-angled In shape. The flowers are an 

 inch or more wide and as long, with the Inner petals broad 

 and acute and of a purplish pink color. The fruit Is club- 

 shaped, a half-Inch or so In length, and of a scarlet hue. 



How to grow 



This Pincushion Is difficult to transplant. Plant in par- 

 tial shade or in the protection of shrubs In very sandy soil. 

 Water frequently to keep the soil barely moist. It is best 

 set In clumps as It grew in the field. The plants will endure 



