country for six or seven years, and in all except the 
two first years, it has never failed to ripen its fruit 
and seeds, so that it may be now considered deci- 
dedly naturalized. It is now growing vigorously ; 
and although the present season has been exceed- 
ingly unfavourable, yet I doubt not but it will pro- 
duce a plentiful crop of flowers, and ripen its fruit 
fit for the table during the course of the next month. 
The compost used by me for growing the Cactus 
Opuntia, is the following : one half is carbonate of 
lime, for which lime rubbish from old buildings 
will answer ; the remaining half consists of equal 
portions of London clay and peat earth, having the 
acid neutralized by barilla : these are intimately 
blended and sifted. One square yard of this com- 
post I conceive to be sufficient for one plant, which 
must be placed in the middle of a small artificial 
hillock, raised eighteen inches above the surface of 
the ground, which ground should be rendered per- 
fectly dry, if not naturally so, by under-draining. 
Neither the leaves, flowers, nor fruit should ever 
be suffered to touch the ground, but they should 
as constantly as they are produced, be kept from the 
earth by placing stones, pebbles, flints, or bricks 
under them in imitation of artificial rock-work.” 
In warm climates the fruit of the Opuntia vulga- 
ris is freely eaten, and considered wholesome. Its 
flavour, however, is not very agreeable, till use has 
produced for it an acquired partiality. 
If cuttings of this plant, be laid to dry for a 
week or two, and then planted, they strike root 
readily. A rich soil is now r found to suit this tribe 
of plants better than old mortar and loam. 
Don’s Syst. Bot. v. 3. 175. 
