A DESERT GRAVEYARD 179 



moist, and give part shade. The plants grow indoors and 

 out and will endure zero weather without injury. In colder 

 weather they may be grown in dry sunny conservatories and 

 indoor rock gardens. 



Green Stemmed ViSNAGA (Echinocactus viridescens 

 — Ferocactus viridescens) 



{Viridescens means "growing green") 



How to identify and how it grows 



The Green Stemmed Visnaga is another of the single 

 growths, from five to fifteen inches high and a foot or so in 

 diameter, and with thirteen to twenty ribs of glossy deep 

 green or medium green, wavy-crested, and fringed with eight 

 to twenty grouped radial spines about three-quarters of an 

 inch long, very stout and sharp; these radials are slightly 

 curved, with translucent yellow tips and reddish bodies. 

 The four central spines are a dull gray-pink, sometimes yel- 

 lowish. The flowers are about an inch and a half in length 

 and breadth, form a circle around the tops of the stems, and 

 are bell-shaped with yellow petals which have a reddish 

 purple midrib. The reddish green fruit is less than an inch 

 long and has a pleasant acid taste. This plant grows along 

 the beaches and foothills of Southern California and blos- 

 soms In May and June. 



How to grow 



Transplant at almost any season m sandy or loamy soil, 

 and give moderate irrigation to keep the soil well moistened. 

 Plants grow readily from seed sown in flats in sandy loam, 

 with part shade and with enough irrigation to keep the soil 

 moist. They grow outside and indoors and are not injured 

 by twenty degrees of frost; in colder climates they may be 

 grown in conservatories or given protection out of doors. 



