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NATIVE FLORIDA CACTUSES. 



531 



August, and, unless the plants have been kept rather dry, 

 instead of planting immediately we lay them on dry 

 sand for several days, then plant like ordinary cuttings, 

 but in dry sand, and withhold the usual watering. Plant 

 firmly, and give some shade at first. If there is any 

 sign oi flagging give a little water, but sparingly until 

 the callus is made and roots begin to form. After this 

 the treatment is easy, not differing from other plants 

 e.Kcept in using well drained and sandy soil. I find fine- 

 ly broken potsherds an excellent addition to the soil for 

 the young plants. 



Some kinds root much more quickly and easily than 

 others ; for instance, with epiphyilum there is no need 

 to keep dry. Plant and treat as you would coleus cut- 

 tings. 



Some cacti are best propagated by grafting, for the 

 reason that we get a better development of the plant, 

 and that the plant so obtained is better fitted to with- 

 stand sudden changes in temperature and in the water 

 supply. Good examples are such sorts as EpiphyUitin 

 truncatiim and its different varieties, and any of the 

 slender growing kinds like Cereus flagelliforniis. Pereskia 

 aculeata is an excellent stock, or a showy and upright 

 growing plant like Cereus tiiajigularis can be used. It 

 is not always necessary to root the stock first. The 

 grafting and the rooting of the cuttings can be done at 

 the same time, even using cuttings ten inches or more 

 in length. My usual method, however, is to grow on a 

 lot of P. aculeaia in four-inch pots, the cut- 

 tings being put in during January and pots 

 .,, plunged out in summer. If staked and 



lllB pruned while growing, plants from one to two 

 feet are obtained ready for grafting the fol- 

 lowing winter. Store in some convenient 

 place until February ; then they are to be 

 cut back to the required length, and the graft 

 inserted. This can be done in almost any 

 of the different ways of grafting, as a wedge 

 graft on the top and a couple -of side-grafts 

 The veneer side-graft described by Mr. Crandall in 

 The American Garden for February last (p. 64) is ex- 

 cellent. If good growth is maintained during rhe sum- 

 mer, plants will bloom finely the following winter. The 

 points to observe in grafting are these : Do not cut the 



scion too thin : the least possible removal of the epider- 

 mis is enough. Do not wound the scion by the tying. 

 We use a cactus thorn, as in the accompanying cut, 

 to secure the graft in place, and then give a firm 



Fig. 4. Opuntia Emorvi. 



but not tight tie with broad moist strips of raffia. No 

 wax is needed nor is confined air necessary. The graft- 

 ed plant is laid on its side, on the bench of a warm 

 house, and a little loose sphagnum is thrown over the 

 grafted parts for a few days. Union takes place within 

 a few weeks, and nothing remains but to encourage a 

 good growth. Fine heads can be obtained in the course 

 of the summer. Care should be taken to keep down 

 the natural growth of the stock. 



Pereskia aciileata can be grown as a rafter plant and 

 grafted when the top of the house is reached. Here we 

 put in side-grafts about eight inches apart the whole 

 length and these can be thinned out wherever the growth 

 is too thick. And care must be taken to support the 

 growing epiphyilum, or the branches will drop off from 

 their own weight. Pereskia Bleo (Fig. J, August Gar- 

 den') is also a good stock, but is less used than P. 

 aciileala. It is more valuable as an ornamental plant, 

 however, having rose-colored flowers. 



Btissev Ii:s/i/ii/ion. B. M. Watson, Jr. 



NATIVE FLOR: 



THE NATIVE and naturalized species of 

 cactuses growing on Florida soil are nine in 

 number — five species of opuntia, four of 

 cereus ; no otfier genera are represented. 

 It is quite possible that the average winter visitor to 

 Florida does not know of the existence of one of 

 these species ; it familiar with any, it is quite likely 

 to be the much abused Opuntia vulgims. This is 

 the only species found away from the coast, and 

 being almost non-inflammable, it is often seen growing 



)A CACTUSES. 



in the high pine woods of the interior, where the 

 ground is burned over every year, and this opuntia 

 appears as a most prominent feature of the land- 

 scape. The large showy yellow flowers, which are 

 followed by small, edible, purple fruits, make it a 

 most desirable plant : it is one of those cases where 

 familiarity breeds contempt, even for beauty. 



Along the north-eastern coast, and on the islands at 

 the mouth of the St. Johns river, the little Opuntia 

 Pes-Corz'i is found, perhaps also in some other portions 



