8 



TIIF PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



placed on stages, their characters are better exhibited to the 

 spectator then if placed on a flat surface. It is not in cha- 

 racter with the inhabitants of this structure to have creepers 

 trained upon the rafters, for plants of so very opposite habits 

 do not associate well together ; and besides having an inhar- 

 monious effect, they produce another, which is injurious to 

 their welfare. All tropical succulent plants are found natu- 

 rally exposed to the full influence of the sun, and when im- 

 'portcd into our northern latitudes,'require all the sun-shine 

 which we can admit to them, and this can never be fully 

 ulmitted, if the foliage of creepers be allowed to intervene 

 between them and the light. 



The great merits, generally considered, of dry-stove plants 

 are their eccentricity of forms, although some of them, par- 

 ticularly the Cactus genus, produce flowers, one of which, 

 C. speciosissima, baffles the ingenuity of the most expert 

 artist to imitate it, in respect to delicacy and richness of co- 

 louring. Many others are splendid while in bloom, but, for 

 the most part, are very fugacious, seldom lasting many hours 

 in perfection. The C. Grandijiorus, of which the annexed 

 figure is an excellent reduced representation, has long been an 

 inmate of our stoves and attracted notoriety, in consequence of 

 its flowering during the night, and hence its English name, 

 Night-flower of Cerrus or Cactus. The flower of this curi- 

 ous species begins to expand its bloom about eight o'clock in 

 the evening, and is in perfection from ten to twelve, but, be- 

 fore day-light next morning, is fled for ever. The finest 

 collection of this division of plants in this country is in the 

 Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, where a large house is dedi- 

 cated for their reception, and the mode in which they are 

 cultivated reflects great credit on Mr. Bigby, the curator, who, 

 for many years, has paid more than ordinary attention to 

 their cultivation. There are, however, many plants that are 

 correctly dry-stove plants, which are not of the succulent 

 sorts, consisting of climbing, bulbous, herbaceous, and woody 

 plants. In order to cultivate a complete collection of these 

 plants in the first degree of excellence, it is necessary to have 

 a separate division for each section, but this is seldom ob- 

 served in practice ; the majority of cultivators being content 

 with two general houses, one especially for bark-stove plants. 



