186 THE SUCCULENT HOUSE. 



their flower buds will be formed withui the branches, which would not be 

 the case were they left in the house. 



SOIL. 



We have already observed that a light, rich, loamy soil is the best for 

 most plants of this description. The free-flowering CactecR should be 

 placed in the richest possible soil, but at the same time it must be 

 capable of admitting the water to pass through it freely, and for that 

 reason may have a portion of lime rubbish, broken pots, or small pieces 

 of broken bricks mixed with it, to keep it open and porous. Poor, 

 sandy soil should be discarded ; and even peat earth, although recom- 

 mended by some cultivators, is not rich enough for these plants. 



SHIFTING OR POTTING. 



There are few species of succulents, until they have attained a 

 pretty large size, but what will be the better for being examined at 

 least once a-year. The most proper season for this operation is in 

 spring, prior to their beginning to grow. Many may not require 

 re-potting, particularly into larger pots, but all will be the better for 

 being examined, were it only to see the state of their roots, and to 

 regulate the di-aining should it be found to be faulty. The majority 

 of these plants require pots less in size than that of other plants in 

 general. They require to be thoroughly drained, as stagnant water at 

 the root is very injurious to them. Most of the first seven sections 

 of Mesemdryanthemuniy according to Haworth's arrangement, that 

 is, from the species minutum to denticulatum^ as they stand in 

 Loudon's " Hortus Britannicus," should be planted high in the pot, 

 that is, elevated in the centre of the pot an inch or an inch and a 

 half above the level of the top of the pot, as they are very impatient of 

 much moisture. These, for a similar reason, should never be removed 

 out of the house, especially as the sparrows are apt to eat them if so 

 exposed. 



When it is desired to obtain large specimens of succulent plants, they 

 must, like all other plants, be frequently shifted into larger pots, 

 and suppUed with plenty of water in ' a rich soil. We have known 

 Cereus speciosissirnus to make shoots six feet long in the course of 



