windows gay with a variety of Flora's 

 favorite specimens, purchased from the 

 nursery at no small cost (when all things are 

 taken into account) ; from their altered cir- 

 cumstances, these soon become shabby in 

 appearance, and are again replaced with 

 fresh ones. It is not a matter for wonder 

 that it should be so, when their habits are 

 not understood, and the treatment they have 

 received, and should receive, is not known. 

 This, however pleasing (and it is not money 

 mis-spent), is yet, nevertheless, rather ex- 

 pensive, and as often vexatious — many prid- 

 ing themselves upon rearing and preserving 

 their " own plants," at least for a time, more 

 than if they occupied the place of expended 

 £ s. d. The cost I have instanced is a great 

 drawback to many. 



Again, another class, over careful, do more 

 harm than many who actually neglect their 

 plants. For instance, a plant is becoming un- 

 healthy from defective drainage; water stag- 

 nates at the root. Instead of withholding 

 water until this was in some measure given 

 off in vapor (of course, repotting would be 

 far better, if properly done), water is more 

 abundantly applied than before. The plant 

 now becomes worse and worse, and ultimately 

 dies ; and then you hear it said, " I cannot 

 think what ailed that plant of mine ! I am 

 sure I was very careful in watering it, and 

 yet it drooped and then died." I may add, 

 that every cause but the right one is as- 

 signed for its untimely end. Thus much for 

 our ordinary window gardeners. 



Succulent plants derive their name from 

 their peculiar physiological formation. Most 

 plants are furnished with pores, by which 

 they give off in vaporall superfluous moisture, 

 called evaporation. Now these are furnished 

 with very few of these evaporating pores : 

 and thus this process goes on very slowly 

 indeed ; so that what ft they receive by their 

 roots is, as it were, stored up for their use 

 against a time of need. Hence, these plants 

 can endure drought for a longer period than 

 any others with which I am acquainted. 

 Thus far for their name. 



I now come to the first part of my subject, 

 viz : — Their suitability for window decora- 

 tion. 



The first I shall begin with is the Cactus. 

 This I propose to separate into several 

 general divisions, called sections. 



Epiphyllum is the first that comes under 

 our notice. This division, or section, con- 

 sists of thick, fleshy-stemmed plants ; the 

 stems, or leaves, growing from nine inches 

 in height to two feet and upwards. Some 

 are angular shaped, some flat, some are both 

 angular and flat on the same stem ; while on 

 the edges or angles at regular and irregular dis- 

 tances, small tufts of spines are developed, 

 and from these points the future flower in- 



variably proceeds. This division is again 

 subdivided into many varieties ; a few of the 

 principal I shall here notice. Those most 

 suited to our present purpose are: — 1, 

 Epiphyllum AcTcermanii, major. 2, E. Aclcer- 

 manii, minor. 3, E. Jenkensonii. 4, E. 

 Speciosa. The first is a very beautiful plant 

 indeed when seen in flower ; and those who 

 have taken any trouble with it, and have 

 been rewarded with a profusion of bloom 

 in return, must confess it stands unrivalled 

 as to splendor among this section. Glowing 

 scarlet stars, appearing as though they were 

 stuck upon the green wax-like leaves, 

 form a very beautiful contrast as to color ; 

 although the leaves are almost obscured 

 while the plant is in bloom. The flowers of 

 this variety are very large, andare, in them- 

 selves, perfect gems, the interior being ex- 

 quisitely arranged. We observe an unusual 

 quantity of stamens (male organs) laid side 

 by side in a most beautiful manner, the tops 

 bearing small tufts (anthers) loaded with white 

 dust (pollen), which give the flowers an 

 unusual appearance as to symmetry of form. 

 In the centre of these stands the pistil (the 

 female organ), a larger organ than any of 

 the stamens ; at the top of which, in the 

 shape of a star, stands what is called the 

 stigma (by botanists), which completes the 

 description of the flower. 



I cannot help here noticing the beautiful 

 arrangement of nature to secure the fertility 

 of the seeds. After the flowers have been 

 open from three to six days, there is from 

 the interior of the flower an exudation of an 

 oily substance, as sweet as the sweetest 

 honey. This takes place, I think, from the 

 pistil, and dropping on the leaves of the 

 flowers (petals), just about the anthers, causes 

 the pollen to adhere closely to these parts. 

 The flower then begins to close, and brings 

 them close around the stigma, thus securing 

 fertility. These are indeed wonderful con- 

 trivances of Nature, to accomplish her own 

 purposes. I refer this very interesting sub- 

 ject to the study of all, as being not only 

 entertaining but instructive withal. 



I would here remark, that in the Great 

 Exhibition almost every known flower was 

 to be seen modelled in wax " to the life," 

 rendering it in some cases difficult to dis- 

 tinguish, at a distance, whether real or 

 artificial. My plants, however, claimed 

 an honorable exception. In no one instance 

 was a flower of this kind to be seen without 

 the counterfeit being stamped on its very 

 face, — very much to my satisfaction, you 

 may suppose. The flowers of this variety 

 are larger than any others of their class. I 

 had a plant, which, through some neglect on 

 my part, just as the buds were setting, re- 

 ceived a check : this caused all but one to 

 prove abortive ; however, under very simple 



