178 THE FANTASTIC CLAN 



How to grow 



Plant out early In spring In sandy or gravelly soil and give 

 enough water to keep the soil lightly moist. Plants grow 

 easily from seed in a sandy loam in flats, with part shade and 

 with enough water to keep the soil slightly moist. Sow the 

 seed preferably in May or June. The plants are not hurt 

 by fifteen or twenty degrees of frost, and grow indoors or 

 outside. This species grows best In sunny exposures. 



Many Hooked Visnagita; Fishhook Cactus 



(Echinocactus polyancistrus — Sclerocactus 

 polyancistrus) 



(The name polyancistrus means ''many fishhooks") 



How to identify and how it grows 



The Many Hooked Visnagita, or Fishhook Cactus, grows 

 from single stems as high as one foot, and four Inches In 

 diameter. The plant has from thirteen to seventeen ribs, 

 on which twenty or more sharp needlelike radial spines ap- 

 pear, white, and a half-Inch or so long. The central spines 

 number six to ten, from one to ^vt Inches long, and are flat- 

 tened with the lower thorns a brownish purple. All the 

 spines are dangerously hooked and formidable, resembling 

 a common fishhook. The flowers form in a central cluster 

 and are about three inches in length and breadth, rose-purple 

 changing to a beautiful rose-red. The petals are oblong; 

 the pistils are a crimson shade. The fruit pods are covered 

 with a few scales; they are bright rose-red. The flowers re- 

 main open for several days. 



How to grow 



Set plants in sandy or gravelly soil in sunny exposures, and 

 give enough water to keep the soil moist. Sow the seed in 

 June in sandy loam with enough water to keep the soil lightly 



