250 
ON THE CULTIVATION OF CACTI IN MOSS. 
To offer any observations on the management of Cacti will almost ajjpear 
superfluous, after what we have advanced on the same subject, Vol. 1. page 49, in 
the article appended to the figure of Epiphyllum splendidum ; but as we purpose 
in this essay to detail a rather novel way of growing- these plants, we trust 
it will be a sufficient apology for what otherwise might be taken for a recapitulation 
of our former paper. It is notorious, that a great many plants, especially those 
belonging- to the natural order OrchiiUacece grow admirably when planted in moss, 
and being cognisant of the fact, that in their native country some of the cactus 
tribe are sometimes found growing- on rotten wood and other decomposed vegetable 
matter, induced us to try whether som-e of them would not grow in moss. Pro- 
curing- a quantity oi spliag7ium (bogmoss,) we proceeded to put in strong year old 
plants of the following kinds ; — Epiphyllum speciomm, truncatitm, Ackermani, 
and splendidum ; Cereus speciosissiwius, and Jlagelliformis y Rhipsalis Cassutha, 
salicornioides, fasciculata^ and grcmdijlora ; and Veveshia aculeata and longispinus. 
The plants were turned out of their pots, and all the loose earth removed from 
them, a small quantity of turfy peat was placed round each root, the whole covered 
with moss about two inches thick, and then neatly tied up with small tar-twine. 
The plants were then suspended in an inverted position from the rafters of a plant 
stove, and they were syringed twice a day through the growing season ; they grew 
admirably ; in three months the roots had protruded through the moss, so much 
as to require a second coat of moss. This experiment was commenced in February, 
and in the course of the season the whole of the plants, with the exception of the 
Vereskias produced bloom ; some of them two or three times. Since then we have 
practised this system rather extensively, and we have now several dozen of strong 
plants, which flower abundantly. Epiphyllum truncatum thus treated is a most 
beautiful object, and may be had in flower throughout the whole year. 
With regard to temperature it is our practice to keep the plants in a house 
heated from 55° to 65° during the time they are growing, but when the young 
shoots are matured, we remove them into a lower temperature — say from 40° to 50*^ 
until they are wanted to flower, when they are taken back to their former 
habitation. 
To enhance the novelty of this system we have resorted to the expedient of 
grafting, and have now got them so amalgamated, that a stranger would scarcely 
recognise the original. We have one plant of E. truncatum^ with all the Rhep- 
salises, E. splendidum^, and Ackermani, and Cereus jlagelliformis grafted on it, and 
we have others with all the other kinds growing on them. Grafting is a very 
simple operation, it only being necessary to fit the scion and stock together, and 
then tie them with a little matting, and cover the whole with clay or moss to keep 
the air out, and indeed this is not required with some, for we stuck a small piece of 
Cereus jlagelliformis on one of the young spines of Pereskia aculeata^ and it has 
grown and formed a fine plant. Grafting on these plants may be performed at any 
time. We have two plants of E. trmicatum grafted on stocks of Pereskia acleata 
