One of the native prickly pears (Opuntia Rafinesquii, 
from Colorado). The fruits are edible. Hardy 
possess a great variety of queer forms, and 
some are most viciously spiny. 
One of the most peculiarly shaped is the 
“bishop’s cap’? (Echinocactus myriostigma, 
also known as Astrophytum myriostigma). 
The outline of this plant is that of a flattened 
globe, and at the most is only about five 
inches in diameter. It has five or six very 
prominent ribs, on the edges of which the 
pale yellow flowers are borne. The surface 
of the plant is more or less covered with a 
white scale-like growth, which reminds one 
of scale insects. This plant seems partic- 
ularly prone to rot at the surface of the soil, 
to avoid this it can be grafted on a cereus. 
Of the same general type is the sea-urchin 
cactus (Echinopsis). If it were not for the 
ridges these plants would look like gourds 
standing on their small ends. They some- 
times reach a diameter of twelve inches, but 
as grown in the window garden, rarely exceed 
half that size. The stem has anywhere 
from a dozen to eighteen sharp ridges, 
thickly set with small spines along the edges. 
The flowers are about six inches long, 
trumpet-shaped, and either red, pink, or 
white. The two most commonly grown 
species are E. multiplex, with rose-red flowers, 
but blooms seldom, and E. Eyriesit, which 
has white flowers produced freely. 
One of the most curious is the living rock 
cactus (Anhalonium Engelmanni, known 
in the trade as A. jissuratum), sometimes also 
called ‘‘dry whiskey,”’ because a very strong, 
The bishop's cap (Kchinocactus myriostigma) is a genu- 
inely ‘‘spineless cactus.’ Often grafted to prevent rot 
THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 
intoxicating drink is made by crushing the 
plant and adding a little water. 
Among the very smallest are the mamil- 
larias, seldom growing over six inches high. 
They get their name because they are coy- 
ered with tubercles, instead of ridges. These 
are usually set in rows which twist spirally 
around the plants. On the end of each 
tubercle is a cluster of small spines. The 
flowers are small, and tubular shaped; 
yellow, red, carmine or purple. In a month 
or two after the flowers have disappeared a 
little red fruit appears, and is far prettier 
than the flower. Mammillaria bicolor is a 
very handsome species, with white spines 
which lie flat on the stem. In M. plumosa 
and M. lasiacantha, the spines are like fine 
white hairs. When grown under tumblers, 
to keep the dust from collecting and soiling 
the hairs, the plants look like bolls of cotton. 
The “old man” cactus (Pilocereus senilis) 
is another one of those curious fuzzy cactuses 
needing protection from dust. ~ The hairs 
are from two to five inches long. The 
The gorgeous crimson flowers of the crab cactus 
(Epiphyllum truncatum) appear in the winter time 
flowers, which are seldom produced in culti- 
vation, are four inches long, and red. Ina 
pot this plant rarely exceeds a foot in height, 
although it becomes a veritable tree in its 
native haunts. 
SOME COMPANION PLANTS 
Some other desert plants which are not 
cactuses, but needing practically the same 
treatment, are usually associated with them 
naturally. These are generally referred to as 
“succulents.” Among them are the aloes 
and the century plants (agaves). 
gasterias we have plants with long, flat, 
strap-shaped leaves, produced in two ranks. 
They are dark green in color, and covered 
with small white spots. The flowers are 
of various shades of red, are one-half 
inch to one inch long, tubular, and are 
sparingly borne on a long stem which comes 
from the middle of the plant. 
The long spiny stems of the so-called 
“crown of thorns” (Euphorbia splendens) 
always excite interest. The plant has pretty, 
bright red bracts, which are usually mistaken 
for the flowers, and are borne at almost any 
season of the year, but usually during the 
winter months. It is desirable to train the 
plant to some ornamental form, or it be- 
comes unwieldy. 
Among the fig-marigolds are several 
curious and interesting plants. Some are 
shrubby; some make long, slender growths 
In the- 
JANUARY, 1907 
The strong spines of the Echinocactus are part of 
the beauty of the plant. They are variously hooked 
and twisted 
suitable for hanging baskets, and others are 
stemless, just a mass of leaves growing on 
the surface of the ground. The leaves are 
usually thick and watery. A particularly 
good species for hanging pots or baskets is 
Mesembryanthemum ficoides. Give these the 
same treatment as the cactuses and all will 
go well. 
THE OLD-FASHIONED HOUSE LEEK 
An extremely satisfactory plant which is 
easily grown from seed or cuttings is the 
showy sedum (Sedum spectabile). It grows 
one and a half to two feet high. The leaves 
are large (2x 3in.) and light green in color. 
The flowers which vary from rose to purple 
are half an inch across and bear in large, flat, 
showy bunches. It will flower at almost any 
season and lasts a long time in bloom. ‘This 
and the next are admirable plants for growing 
in city window gardens. 
The stonecrop (Sedum acre) spreads over 
the surface of a pot or box by its creeping 
stems. It has the advantage over the other 
plants I have mentioned in that it is hardy. 
I have seen boxes of it on city window sills all 
winter—the only green thing in sight. 
A close relative of the sedums is found in 
the houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum). The 
glaucous, green leaves are borne in a rosette 
which is three to four inches across. It is 
grown for its foliage effect, not for its flowers. 
The commonest night-blooming cactus. Really a 
Phyllocactus but popularly called a Cereus. It has 
flattened stems. Cereus has angular stems 
