MR. PEARCE'S practice. 



181 



^Ir. D. Pearce, in the Horticultural Cabinet, VoL XL p. 175, gives the 

 follo^ng as his practice in the cultiTation of the genus Cactus : — 



All the species of Cactus,'* that is, the fine-flowering soits, may he 

 treated as follows : — Put them in loam and peat, or sandy loam, mixed 

 with about a fourth part of hme rubbish. Always let the pots in which 

 they are planted be as small as the plants will allow : large pots ai'e in- 

 jurious, because the roots ai-e prevented fi'om reaching the sides for so 

 long a time, and the body of soil is liable to retain too much moistiu-e 

 every time the plant is watered. Always give a good drainage, by laying 

 in each pot a good portion of broken potsherds, as the least stagnation is 

 always injmious, sometimes fatal ; therefore, never allow them to stand 

 in the pans or feeders in which the pots are sometimes placed. Water 

 very seldom, not more than twice a week when they are floweiing, and 

 not so often at other times ; give very httle at a time, not more than will 

 moisten the soil all over, paiticularly if the weather is not fine and sunny. 

 About the middle of June, turn them out of doors into a situation where 

 they will not be exposed to vdnds, but perfectly open to the rays of the 

 mid-day sun. Place them on a board or floor of any kind, to prevent the 

 worms from entering through the bottoms of the pots. This system of 

 exposing them in summer gives them a check which seldom fails to pro- 

 duce a good bloom. Whilst out of doors, they must not be allowed to 

 receive the heavy dashing rains, or they will suffer, perhaps die, in con- 

 sequence ; either a boai'ded roof, or other shelter, must be provided for 

 them on such occasions. Also, if the pots stand on a floor of slates or flags, 

 they should be partly plunged in moss ; as the sun, by heating the pots, 

 sometimes bm'ns the roots of the plants. In September, take the plants 

 into the greenhouse, and place them in a situation where they will receive 

 plenty of hght and air during winter. Early in the spring, remove them 

 to the stove in succession as they are required to bloom. ^lost of the 

 species will flower very fine, without being placed out of doors at aU ; but 

 by placing them out as above, the flowers will be much finer, and more 

 abundant, than when grown regularly in the house : they may be in- 

 creased by cuttings, seeds, and grafting." 



GENERAL TREATMENT WHEN IN THE HOUSE. 



Succulent plants, so far from requiring the temperature of a stove, as 

 erroneously supposed by many, are most certainly much more injured by 

 too high a temperature than by being kept too cool. If we except the 



