618 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



Large plants, free flowering: — C. abyssinica, C. falcata, 

 C. lactea, and C. pallida. (Fig. 747.) 



Small or tufted species: — C. columnaris, C. Cooperi, C. 



Fig. 746.-Cotyledons. 

 1, agavoides. 2, secunda. 3, metullica. 4, ovata. 5, Pachyphyton. t>, gibbiflur 



hemisphcerica, C. impressa, C. pcrfoliata, C. pyramidalis, 

 and C. Septus. 



Echeveria. — See Cotyledon. 



Echinocactus. — A large genus of Cacti, with short, 

 usually thick steins, a few only growing to a height of 

 over 3 feet. They rarely branch, but the stem is con- 

 spicuously furrowed and clothed with bundles of large, 

 often hooked, rigid spines of forbidding aspect. Their 

 large handsome flowers open only when the sun is shin- 

 ing upon them. The majority require warm greenhouse 

 treatment. They prefer a sandy loam, mixed with sand 

 and broken brick. They should be examined in spring, 

 to see that the roots are good, as the plants may look 

 healthy when the roots are gone. If rotten at the base, 

 cut off the decayed part and expose the plant on a 

 shelf until roots are emitted. Imported plants and 

 cuttings should be treated in the same way. Some of 

 the slow-growing sorts form plants quickest if grafted i 

 on some free -growing Cereus, such as C. peruvianns 

 or C. tortuosus. April and May are the best months for 

 grafting. i 



The most interesting of the large kinds are the follow- ! 

 ing: — E. comigerus, E. cylindraceus, E. echidne, E. electra- i 

 canthus, E. Emoryi, E. Pfeifferi, E. platyccras, E. Pottsii, 

 E. Visnaga, and E. Wislizeni. 



The following are of smaller growth : — E. bicohr, E. 

 brevihamatus, E. cinnabarinus, E. concinnus, E. corynodes, 

 E. crispatus, E. Cumingii, E. demidatus, E. hexcedrophorus, 

 E. longihamatns, E. Mirbelii, E. Monvillci, E. mxdtiflorus, 

 E. myriostigma, E. Scopa, E. Simpsoni (said to be hardy 

 in England), and E. tortuosus. 



Echinocereus. — Included in Cereus. 



Echinopsis. — A genus of about twenty species, the 

 stems of which are only a few inches high, and shaped 

 like an Orange or a Pear, and their flowers are generally 



about 1 foot long, varying from white to deep rose, very 

 effective, and produced freely. The plants will stand 

 rougher treatment than most Cacti, and are moderately 

 hardy, growing well in the open ground 

 in summer. They produce offsets freely, 

 which should be removed early if large 

 plants are required* 



E. cristata, E. Decaisneana, E. Duvalii, 

 E. Eyriesii, E. multiplex, E. oxygona, E. 

 rosea, E. tubi flora, E. valida, and E. Zuc- 

 cariniana. 



Epiphyllum. — See special article, p. 

 438. 



Euphorbia. — A very large genus of 

 extreme variation. Many of the African 

 species, as well as those of other tropical 

 countries, possess succulent, spiny, leafless 

 stems like Cacti. They can, however, 

 always be distinguished from Cacti by 

 their milk-like juice, revealed by a slight 

 pin-prick. Very few of the species have 

 any distinctly ornamental character, but 

 the most striking of those with succulent 

 stems are grown along with Cacti. They 

 require the same treatment as Cereus. 



The best known are: — E. abyssinica, 

 E. Bcaumeriana, E. canariensis, E. Caput- 

 Medusce, E. eereiformis, E. Cooperi, E. glo- 

 bosa, E. grand icornis, E. Macoicani, E. 

 inamillaris, E. meloformis, E. polygona, 

 E. resinifera, E. Sipolisii, E. tetragona, 

 and E. rirosa. (Fig. 748.) 



Furcrcea {Forcroya). — Agave - like 

 plants, with long, sword-shaped, usually spine-clad leaves, 

 which are valuable as a source of fibre (Mauritius 

 hemp, &c). The green-leaved species are as ornamental 

 as Agaves, such as A. rigida, and two sorts, viz. 



Fig. 747 — Crassulas. 1, pallida. 2, falcata. 



F. Lindeni and F. Watsoniana, are attractively varie- 

 gated. In habit and in flower-spike they closely resemble 

 Agaves. They like warm greenhouse treatment, but 

 may be placed in the open air along with Agaves in 



