DECORATIVE VALUE OF CACTI. 



21 



A pretty and interesting display may be had by arranging the 

 plants in groups on benches, on window sills, or on bracket shelves on 

 either side 6f a window. Pots of individual plants of various sizes 

 lend themselves very readily to artistic arrangement. In any banking 

 elTect the larger and taller ones should be placed in the background, 

 and the rest graded down to the front according to the size of the 

 plants. Should the plants be too uniform in size for such arrange- 

 ment, those in the background may be elevated on inverted pots or 

 blocks of wood of suitable height. 



GROUPINGS. 



Pleasing effects may be obtained by placing a number of plants in 

 one pot or small box. For this purpose it is necessary to choose small 

 plants, preferably the low-growing globular or short, cylindrical forms 

 of Mamillaria and Echinocactus. With a little care in the selection 

 of perfectly symmetrical plants with well-developed spines, and some 

 taste in arrangement, a compact group may be built up which will 

 make an excellent ornament for the table or window and can easily 

 be moved to any place desired. In the diversity of designs which may 

 be followed there is a wide range of possibilities, ornamental pots or 

 boxes lending an artistic touch to the composition. 



PLANTINGS IN OPEN GROUND. 



Cactus roots naturally penetrate deep into the soil, and at the same 

 time some of them spread widely from the plant stem. This tendency 

 is necessarily limited in potted plants, and the plant does not receive 

 the nourishment or water that it should have; hence it is always 

 better to place them in the open ground if possible. In the Northern 

 States it is necessary that the plants be protected from frost in winter. 

 In such localities a room in a greenhouse may be set aside for this 

 group of plants, and beds made in the native earth to receive them. 

 Here they may be placed close together, as they shade one another 

 very little and do not have the abundant foliage of other plants. The 

 roots may intermingle, but to no greatly detrimental extent, since the 

 main feeding roots penetrate deep down into the soil. Furthermore, 

 cactus plants need comparatively little nourishment, and it would 

 require a long period of time to exhaust the soil. An effective ar- 

 rangement is to build up rocks and soil, leaving the surface more or 

 less covered with rocks, making a genuine rockery. (PI. XVII.) This 

 treatment lends a natural aspect to the surroundings and furthermore 

 adds a greater degree of drainage, so necessary to cacti at all times. 



Cacti may be used as good decorative plants in outdoor beds, 

 planted either temporarily or permanently. (PI. XVI.) Where one 

 has a number of individual potted plants that have to be housed for 



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