182 THE FANTASTIC CLAN 



over a foot In diameter. Their ribs are quite prominent. 

 The spines form in a marginal fringe of white bristlelike 

 Inch-long hairs that are bent and twisted, four to eight ra- 

 dlals and four centrals, two inches long or less, cross-ridged 

 and light red and yellow at their bases. The flowers en- 

 circle the tips of the stems In an orange-yellow cluster of 

 twenty petals and sepals, each one an inch or so long and 

 broad, and formed like a bell. The fruit is elliptical, orange 

 or red, and is filled with a colorless limelike juice from which 

 delicious lemonade is made; hence the common name, Lime 

 Cactus. The plants thrive in the loamy soil of foothills and 

 mountains In Central Mexico. 



How to grow 



Set out In spring In loamy soil or sandy loam In a sunny 

 exposure with moderate irrigation. The seed may be sown 

 In June in sandy loam, In flats in part shade and with enough 

 Irrigation to keep the soil moist. The plants thrive either 

 out of doors or within and are not Injured at twenty-five de- 

 grees below freezing; but with zero weather they require 

 some protection. 



Giant VisNAGA (Echinocactus Visnaga) 



C'VIsnaga" Is the Mexican name of the plant) 



How to identify and how it grows 



These are giant barrel plants, greenish monsters growing 

 to nine feet In height, a single trunk often four feet through, 

 cylindrical, the top broadly rounded with the center some- 

 what sunken. Along this stem run thirty to forty inch-high 

 glossy green ribs with wavy crests, and a dense mass of long 

 tan woolly areolas. There are four straight, stout, sharp 

 one- or two-inch thorns with smooth surfaces, creamy yellow 

 or translucent with brownish tips. The bright yellow flow- 



