CACTACEOUS PLANTS. 



73 



plants grew much better than my own, and looked much fresher 

 and greener. I also observed that most of the plants I received 

 from the South of France and Belgium were far finer-looking in 

 colour, and much greener than my own, and that when planted 

 according to our English book rules they did not improve, nor 

 even keep up their good appearance ; in fact, many of them got 

 smaller, losing the bloom which they possessed on their arrival. 

 This naturally made me think that there was something wrong 

 in my mode of treatment, and I therefore wrote to my foreign 

 friends asking them sundry questions as to the compost they 

 used, also as to watering and air, and as to any use of artificial 

 manure &c. 



My first reply came from M. Rebut, of Chazay d'Azergues, 

 Rhone, France, who has a collection of 12,000 of these plants. 

 His letter, translated as clearly as such technical terms can be, 

 states that he gets the compact earth of a meadow, well pow- 

 dered, also leaf-mould, and manure from the bottom of a dung- 

 heap at least two years old, this also well powdered ; earth or 

 dirt from the road, especially that from deep ruts ; earth from 

 old Willow -trees, and earth from Oak-trees. This collection of 

 material is put in a heap, and allowed to stay a long time, occa- 

 sionally stirring it, to promote decomposition. It is then to be 

 sifted before using, mixing it with fine sand, as may be required. 

 M. Rebut recommends a temperature of 8° to 10° or 12° Centi- 

 grade, or not above 50° Fahrenheit, for the winter months. He 

 would then only water once a month, taking care that at this 

 season no water touched the crown of the plant. He is a great 

 advocate for giving plenty of air, even in the winter, and he 

 leaves the door of any house that may be heated open the whole 

 day, even when the outside air may be only a few degrees above 

 the freezing point. Should there be no heat to the house, he 

 would not do this. I have myself since followed this rule, and 

 have lost far fewer plants than when the door was kept shut in 

 winter. A certain amount of judgment must be used on this 

 point, such as in bad weather, or when watering. For the 

 Pilocereus this treatment has to be modified, as they require 

 more heat than ordinary cactaceous plants ; and should there not 

 be a stove-house, it would be well to screen off a small part of 

 the conservatory with glass, putting these plants within its 

 shelter, taking them from it again when the spring arrives. 



B 2 



