February 14, 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
123 
to the soil for a week or so after that operation, as the syringe will afford 
sufficient moisture. When growth is proceeding rapidly the plants may 
be watered twice or three times a week. The stronger freely flowering 
species of Cereus and others may he assisted with a little weak liquid 
manure, both when growing and approaching the flowering stage. 
Potting .—February and March is a suitable time for potting Cacti, 
and if the collection is large the earlier the operation is performed the 
better, provided the weather is open and mild. Some care is needed in 
obtaining the soil in proper condition, for it should neither be damp nor 
dust dry, but it is better to err on the dry side than in the other direction. 
When the plants are turned out of their pots most of the old soil may be 
shaken from the roots, and all dead dried roots must be cut off close 
to the stem, as much injury is often occasioned by allowing these old 
portions to remain attached. Large specimens in tubs or pots of con¬ 
siderable size seldom need repotting, a top-dressing of fresh compost, 
with occasional supplies of weak liquid manure, being amply sufficient. 
PROPAGATION. 
The majority of the Cacti are readily increased by cuttings, grafting, 
and by seeds, each of which methods may be briefly described. 
Guttings .—The species of Cereus, Opuntia, llhipsalis, Epiphyllums, 
and others with cylindrical or slender angular stems, can be increased by 
means of cuttings of the young growths, which may be taken off in the 
spring and summer and placed in a sunny position for a few days, until 
the cut surface has healed, or until a few roots are seen to be forming. 
They can then be inserted in pots of light sandy soil, and kept quite dry 
until growth commences, when slight syringing will be beneficial. The 
temperature of the house in which the plants are grown will be sufficient. 
The Mamillarias and some of the Echinccactuses and Echinopsis produce a 
number of offsets from the base of the stems, which may be removed and 
treated like cut'ings, and a large stock can be soon obtained of many 
species in this way. 
Grafting .—The principal object of grafting in this family is to place 
delicate species upon stocks of a stronger character, so that there is less 
danger of the former suffering from superfluous moLture in the soil, as 
with some Mamillarias, or to elevate pendulous or drooping plants upon a 
stem, so that they can be seen to better advantage, as in the case of the 
Epiphyllums. Some of the slender Cereuses seem t-i be benefited by 
being grafted on stronger stocks both in their growth and floriferousness, 
but the latter character is usually not much affected. There is one great 
objection to grafted plants, and that is that usually they have an incon¬ 
gruous appearance almost approaching to deformity, and on this account 
many growers do not practise it. The operation is generally performed 
in early summer when growth is proceeding, and the methods employed 
are extremely simple. The stock, which is usually one of the Cereuses, 
such as C. tortuosus, C. macrogonus, or C. peruvianus, according to the 
habit of the plant from which the scion is to be taken, the second-named 
being one of the quickest growing of all, or the Pereskia aculeata; but 
this is principally reserved for the Epiphyllums. If one of the small 
globular Mamillarias, Echinocactus, Echinocereus, or Echinopsis is to be 
the scion the base should he cut smoothly across, and if the stock is a 
sufficiently broad stem this can be similarly smoothed and the scion placed 
level upon it, being secured in its place by matting or string passed over 
the plant and under the pot, so as to keep the cut surfaces in close contact. 
No binding is required round the junction of the stock and scion, and if 
the plants are placed in a rather shady position for a few days and kept 
dry a union will soon be effected. When the scion and stock are slender, 
and if nearly equal in size, they may be grafted by cutting the former at 
the base into a wedge shape, with a corresponding notch in the latter, 
tying them carefully round in this case, but not too tightly, or the surface 
will be injured, and probably decay. Nearly all the species in the different 
genera of the Cactus order unite readily with each other, but it is not well 
to select a plant for a stock which differs greatly in quickness of growth 
from the scion or vice versa, for the success of the union is very uncertain 
in such cases. 
Seeds .—Though the majority can be easily raised from seeds, this 
method is rarely resorted to except to obtain new varieties or hybrids. 
The seeds are mostly small, and should be sown in a compost of three 
parts sand and one of loam in a temperature of 60° to 65°. The best time 
is immediately the seeds are ripe, otherwise the spring months are the 
most suitable. Germination takes place in from one to three weeks, and 
the progress of the seedlings is often very slow for some months, during 
which time the greatest care must be exercised to prevent injury by too 
much moisture either in the soil or the atmosphere. 
Hybridising .—Nearly all Cactaceous plants produce abundance of 
pollen, and are readily crossed, especially the Cereuses, Phyllocactuses, and 
Epiphyllums, to which the efforts of hybridisers have been principally 
confined. By judicious crossing some handsome forms have been raised, 
and there is undoubtedly plenty of room for further experiments in this 
direction. For instance, the Mamillarias vary considerably from seed, 
yet very little has been done in this genus on aDy systematic plan. In 
the majority of species the pollen and stigmas are mature at the same 
time, and therefore if self-fertilisation is not desired the stamens of the 
flower selected for the seed-parent must be removed before the anthers 
burst; and if there are other flowers open at the same time a small piece 
of gauze or muslin may be tied over it both before and after the pollen is 
applied. The Cereuses hybridise readily, and it is only necessary to 
observe closely the time when the flowers open, as some last but a few 
hours, often expanding late in the evening. 
CLASSIFICATION. 
A great number of methods of classifying the members of this 
family have been proposed, but that adopted by Hooker and Bentham 
in their “Genera Plantarum ” is the simplest and best. Two tribes are 
formed. The first, termed Echinocactese, is characterised by the calyx 
tube being produced beyond the ovary, the stem being covered with 
elongated tubercles or ribs, which are rarely leafy. This includes the 
genera Melocactus, Mamillaria, Pelecyphora, Leuchtenbergia, Echino¬ 
cactus, Discocactus, and Cereus. The second tribe, Opuntiae, has the 
calyx tube not produced beyond the ovary, and the stems are branching or 
jointed. The genera Rhipsalis, Nopalea, Opuntia, and Pereskia are 
placed under this bead. Some secondary divisions are adopted, but they 
are not of much popular importance. In classifying the species the 
spines afford valuable characters, and those who are specially interested 
in this part of the subject will find an elaborate system detailed in 
Labouret’s “ Monographie.” 
MELOCACTUS, Link and Otto. 
(The Melon Cactus.) 
About thirty species of plants found in the West Indies and tropical 
America are arranged under the genus Melocactus, and resemble each 
other closely in their leading characters. These are a globular un- 
Fig. 24.—Melocactus communis. 
branched fleshy stem 1 to 2 or 3 feet in diameter, regularly ribbed from 
base to summit, the ridges bearing a varying number of clusters of 
spines and a cylindrical portion, termed “ the cap,” produced from the 
apex of the stem, formed of a woolly substance, and closely set softer 
spines than those on the main stem. Upon this the small flowers are 
borne, tubular in form, and red or rose-coloured. All the species are 
natives of hot regions, generally growing in rocky or sandy situations 
exceedingly dry, but a few are said to be found near the coast or in salt 
marsh districts. Only one species—namely, M. communis, is in general 
cultivation, and this is probably owing to the fact that the plants are of 
little or no horticultural value, though as curiosities they are remarkable. 
Gtdture .—The Melocactus is one of the most difficult of all the Cacti to 
grow successfully, and it is rare that a thoroughly healthy specimen is seen; 
indeed, imported plants that have “ the cap ” developed whon received 
seldom live long, and the only specimens which have a chance of success 
are those sent over in a young state or raised from seed here. A high 
temperature, very porous soil, abundant drainage, and little water are the 
chief points requiring attention, and when a plant assumes an unhealthy 
appearance water must be withheld. 
Propagation.— Offsets are seldom produced unless the crown or cap be 
removed or damaged, or if the upper portion of the stem be cut off. When 
the surface is partially healed offsets usually appear round the margins, and 
these can be separated and grown on like those of other Cacti. 
