A WONDERLAND OF CACTUSES. 



529 



right growth, with four much compressed angles. It is 

 a night-bloomer, and the flowers, which are entirely dis- 

 tinct from any cereus that we have ever seen, are com- 

 posed of six rows of petals, numbering in all nearly 140. 

 These are beautifully recurved, the innumerable stamens 

 projecting well above them. The entire flower measured 

 30 inches in circumference, and, most interesting of all, 

 they were of a i^ecp satiny pink, a color heretofore un- 

 known among cereuses. The fragrance equals that of 

 the night-blooming cereus in strength and sweetness. 



A cereus that always attracts attention is C. Janiacam, 

 var. glaiiciis, of which the young growth is of a delicate 

 pale blue. This color is retained only for a year or two, 

 when it becomes dark green. The young growth, there- 

 fore, contrasts beautifully with the older stems. How 

 provoking it is to see visitors touch these plants with 

 their hands to see "if they are not painted," and leave 

 their indelible mark on them ! The red-flowering cer- 

 euses, such as C. speciosissiinns, C. coicineiis, etc. , bear 

 very brilliant flowers. The most distinct bloomer is 

 certainly Cereus Baumanni. With us it blooms winter 

 and summer. A plant cut off at two feet from the base 

 has borne more than fifty flowers since Christmas, and 

 is still showing buds. The flowers are only about 2 '2 

 inches long, tubular, slightly recurved, bright vermilion 

 and orange yellow. This cereus must be kept growing 

 winter and summer ; if allowed to become too dry the 

 top will shrivel up. 



From true cereuses we naturally drift to the section 

 pilocereus, especially to P. senilis, old man cactus, which 

 is covered with long, white, silky hairs, that make it so 

 attractive to any who sees it. We well remember how 

 careful we were of our first two specimens obtained from 

 Mexico, by way of Europe ( !), at the cost of a good round 

 sum True, they were but a few inches high, but just 

 as handsome as the old fellows three or four feet tall. 

 We are not afraid, now, to wash with soap and water 

 when their hair becomes dusty. Experience has taught 

 us that if planted in very sandy sail, the old man likes 

 plenty of water at the roots and over his hairy coat. 



All the pilocereuses, it must be remembered, are not 

 hairy ; indeed, some have formidable spines, but they 

 are all valuable and considered beautiful plants. P. 

 DauHuitzi is entirely covered with very fine white hair, 

 curled all over the stem, and is usually valued at one 

 dollar per inch. We doubt if ten plants of it exist in 

 the New World. P. Houllelti is also very remarkable 

 from the fact that it has tufts of white hairs projecting 

 between the spines, usually pointing lo the north only 

 probably as a protection from cold winds. This plant, 

 however, is so liable to rot that its cultivation should 

 jDot be encouraged. 



The mamillarias, while mostly small as compared with 

 cereuses and echinocactuses, are just as interesting. 

 Here again we find that, as a rule, the handsome spined 

 varieties have the least attractive flowers, and vice versa. 

 For those with limited means and space, mamillarias 

 will prove very attractive. Look at the little M. nnero- 

 meris, one-half inch in diameter, with a tiny rosy flower 



nearly as large (or as small ! ) as the delicate button-like 

 plant ! And what a tough little chap it is ! Here are a 

 couple of stray little fellows that have been lying on our 

 desk for six or seven weeks, after traveling thousands of 

 miles. We brought them home in our vest pocket. 

 They are harmless — no spines to prick your fingers. 

 Just put them in a small pot of moist sand and see if, in 

 a few days, a bright coral seed pod will not appear, and 

 after that, little satin-like pink flowers ! With an intel- 

 ligent selection, a fine show can be made with mamil- 

 larias alone, as the colors of the spines vary through 

 white, gray, pink, purplish, yellow and brown-black. 

 Those not closely set with spines show the green body of 

 the plant, and are indispensable for contrast. 



All the foregoing species of cactuses may be grown 

 with success in any kind of very sandy soil, in well- 

 drained pots just large enough to hold the plants. Large 



FiG, 3, OlT.MlA MON.AL.VN l ll.A. \ AR. \'ARIEGATA. 



pots and soggy soil will surely kill any cactus. Water 

 moderately from March until October. Some of the 

 cereuses, however, will take a richer soil, and may be 

 repotted when the pots are full of roots if good growth 

 is required, Cereus grandiflorus will bloom much better 

 and sooner if allowed to become pot-bound, but it should 

 then be liberally watered when growing, using liquid 

 manure when in bud. 



Some people have "luck" with the leaf cactus, orphyl- 

 locactus ; others have not. Look at the one on the far- 

 mer's porch, in an old milk can ; the water from the 

 roof is nearly drowning it, yet it has over twenty buds ! 

 But here is Mr, Orchid, who has a fine greenhouse in 

 the city and follows instructions closely, and he has to 

 wait five years for a flower ! We have seen phyllocac- 

 tuses full of bloom when three years old. Three inches 

 deep of sheep manure was placed in the bottom of the 

 pot, but next year the plants were dead. 



