HORTICLLTURAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



ICl 



pull such plants out of the earth by mere force, and though he 

 may di^ them up with care, will take hold of the loni^ wiry roots 

 to carry them by ; if, in such a case the specimen be at all 

 heavy, its whole weight is suspended on a series of the most 

 delicate vessels, which can scarcely escape being torn asunder, 

 and if this happens, the dissolution of the plant will inevitably 

 foUow, though it may appear to live for some time after. 



There is, says Mr. Beaton, a direct communication from the 

 roots uj) through the centre of all Cacti by means of a series of 

 perpendicular woody Hbres, which are soft in young plants and 

 very succulent kinds, but which generally in mature plants as- 

 sume a firm woody character, and in many species of Cereus and 

 Opuntia become quite ligneous, with a pulpy centre analogous 

 to the pith of trees and shrubs. These woody Hbres may be 

 traced up to the last two years wood, where they merge into the 

 general succulency of the plant. The moisture imbibed by the 

 roots rises through these woody channels, and thence is dis- 

 tributed through the succulent mass, from the whole surface of 

 tlie central axis, by means of the system of reticulated Hbres or 

 veins already alluded to. It thus becomes obvious how easy it is 

 to injure such plants by handling them roughly. 



With regard to growing Cacti from seeds, Mr. Beaton fills the 

 pots with cinders to within two inches of the top ; and makes 

 them up with very sandy peat, and a little clean sand on the top. 

 The pots are then watered and the seeds sown ; after which as 

 much dry sand is sprinkled over them as will just fill up the 

 spaces between them. The whole is then pressed down gently, 

 and the pots are put by in any warm place, where they are kept 

 moist. The seeds will vegetate in ten or twelve days and must 

 then be very gently watered for fear of displacing them till they 

 make their little roots, and get firm hold of the soil, after which, 

 they may be freely and regularly watered. Although he has 

 transplanted such seedling Cacti at all ages, yet he lost so many 

 by transplanting while very young, that he recommends the 

 seeds to be sown quite thin in the first instance, and not to 

 transplant the seedHngs till they begin to get crowded in the 

 pots, in a year or two. 



It is well known that the large columnar species of the tropics 

 cannot be brought in this country to the size at which they will 

 tlower. To remedy this inconvenience Mr. Beaton recommends ^ 

 cutting otF three or four feet from the top of their immense 

 pillars in their native country, as the only way by which we can 

 ever expect to flower them in England. Let the collector fix on 

 the oldest plant of each kind, cut it down and preserve the head 

 or top piece, and after drying the wound, let him send it home 

 in saw dust, or any dry hard grass, but by no means in moss, 

 which is of all others the worst substance to transmit plants in, as 

 it imbibes and retains moisture. We should J heu liave every chance 

 of seeing the flowers soon after their arrival, and thus be in pos- 



