May 1, 1884. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
341 
meadow hay, the dung being free from all stable litter. This dung con¬ 
tains 75 per cent, of water, 2£ per cent, of ash, and 6-10 of one per cent, 
of nitrogen. A ton of such manure contains 12 lb?, of nitrogen, worth 
2 dollars 40 cents, and 50 lbs. of ash, containing in addition to the lime, 
magnesia, sulphates, chlorides, &c., 11 6 lbs. of potash, worth 77 cents , 
and 4.9 lbs. of phosphoric acid, worth 61 cents., or a total value of 3 dollars 
78 cents, a ton, estimating these three materials at commercial rates. 
This calculation is made on the assumption that the phosphoric acid is 
all soluble in water, and that the nitrogen is as valuable for fruit trees as 
it is for field crops, both propositions somewhat doubtful. Wood ashes 
represent all the mineral elements of vegetable growth, and contain 
everything the farmer must give his crops except combined nitrogen. 
Wood ashes will vary in composition and value with the kind of wood 
and the part of the tree. I will take the ash of the body wood of the 
Beech tree as representing the average of wood ashes. A ton of such 
ashes contains 320 lbs. of p >tasb, worth 16 dollars, and 105 lbs. of phos¬ 
phoric acid (insoluble), worth 5 dollars 25 cents. Omitting all the other 
ash constituents, which have some value of themselves, the potash and 
phosphoric acid of a ton of such ashes are worth 21 dollars 25 cents, or 
nearly six times the value of a ton of fresh horse dung. For orchards 
I regard ashes as worth more than six times the value of barnyard ma¬ 
nure, ton for ton. When barnyard manure is composted with wood ashes 
the coarse vegetable material and litter are rapidly broken down, and 
the manure is speedily fitted for use ; but there is some loss of nitrogen 
in the form of ammonia, but there will be no loss of mineral matter if 
kept from leaching by water.—Dr. R. C. Kedzie, Michigan Agricultural 
College (in the New York Tribune'). 
CACTACEOUS PLANTS. 
(Continued from ■page 321.) 
In addition to the species of Echiuocactus already noted the following 
are w r orth attention :— 
E. MYRIOSTIGMA, S.D. (Astrophytum myriostigma ).—Though in many 
respects this is totally distinct from the Hedgehog Cactus, yet botanically 
it has been found to be so nearly related to that genus that they could not 
be separated satisfactorily. It is very peculiar, and at a glance appears to be 
scarcely a living plant, so regular, rigid, and unplant-like is its form, that 
we might almost imagine it had been carved from a piece of stone. It seems 
to be an even greater departure from the forms of plant life with which vre 
are most familiar than other Cacteae, strange as they are, for all vestiges of 
leaves or branches are lost, the spines and tubercles, their representatives in 
other species, have in this one disappeared, and the stem is bare except for 
some curious star-like scales or hairs. It forms a marked stage in the evolu¬ 
tion of the genus, and appears to be the opposite extreme to the Mamillaria- 
like species with prominent tubercles, between which almost every gradation 
can be found. The stem is seldom more than 6 or 8 inches high, 3 to 5 in 
diameter, and has five or six broadly triangular ridges 1 orlj inch deep, with 
an even surface and edge devoid of spines. Upon the surface are a number 
of small grey or whitish flattened scales or hairs, which are thickly placed 
on the young growth, but fall off as the plant advances in age, and the 
low'er part of the stem is sometimes quite bare. The flowers are produced 
near the summit of the stem, generally several together, which open early 
in the day and close in the afternoon from four to five o’clock, expanding on 
each succeeding day for nearly a week. Plants will also continue bearing 
flowers from June to September. 
The scales above mentioned, when examined under a microscope of 
moderate power, are seen to consist of small hair-like filaments radiating 
from a central very short stalk. Appendages of this character are seen in 
few members of the family, and occurring as these do in the absence of the 
clusters of spines, it might almost be thought that they were debased forms 
of these. Against that fancy is, however, the fact that the scales are 
dispersed over the whole surface of the plant, and appear to be merely 
superficial, being easily removed with the finger-nail. 
E. Pfeifferi. Zuccarini. — A bold handsome species, which at once 
attracts notice in a large collection, and is well worth a place in a small one. 
The stem is intermediate between cylindric and globular, usually 1 foot high, 
9 inches in diameter. The ridges are 1^ to 2 inches deep, and li inch across 
at the base, triangular, deep green. The clusters of spines are 1 inch apart, 
and contain several yellowish-white rigid, semi-transparent spines about 
l inch long. In the Oxford garden is a beautiful specimen of this 2 feet 
high, one of the finest in this country. 
E. SCOPA, Pfeiffer .—The Broom Cactus is a popular name applied to this 
Echiuocactus, and it is an appropriate title, for the ordinary form is sug¬ 
gestive of a close birch broom, or more correctly the circular brushes 
employed in sweeping chimneys. It is extremely distinct, and by no 
means wanting in beauty of the Cactoid type. The stem in most culti¬ 
vated specimens is cylindrical, 4 to 8 inches high and 3 to 4 inches in 
diameter, but it attains the height of a foot or more, upon which the 
numerous small ridges, thirty or more, are very closely set, and these in 
turn bear extremely abundant thickly set purple hairs, which cover the 
plant so densely that the surface is scarcely visible. The flower is neat in 
form, 1 to 2 inches in diameter ; the petals narrow, serrated at the point, pale 
yellow, with bright crimson stigmas. It is a native of Brazil, whence plants 
or seeds were sent to the Continent early in the present century. 
E. Scopa CANOIDUS CRISTATUS. —This is one of the most extraordinary 
of the numerous monstrous forms that have been obtained from seed in the 
Cactus family. It is also one of the most beautiful, and, though rather 
delicate, it well deserves the little extra attention needed to keep it in health. 
No one would think for a moment that it is related to the species named 
above, for it has undergone a most peculiar change. Instead of the regular 
symmetical cylindrical stem it has become contorted, flattened, and irregu¬ 
larly twisted like the fasciated crest in the common Cockscomb. The surface 
is densely covered with small white tufts about the size of a large pin’s head, 
from which arise numerous diminutive white hairs one-eighth of an inch 
long or less, and on the edge of the flattened lobes is a distinct furrow, which 
follows the twisting stem in each direction. In the sun the plant has a 
silvery appearance, which is very beautiful, but to preserve this dust or dirt 
of any kind must be carefully excluded from it. It is rather slow-growing, 
but succeeds best when grafted on a short stem of some Cereus, such as 
C. Baumanni, C. macrogonus, or C. peruvianus, and less difficulty is then 
experienced in keeping it in good health. 
B. Simpsoni. —This is especially deserving of notice as one of the hardiest 
of the genus, for it has been tried out of doors in some districts, and has 
endured very low temperatures uninjured. It is said to be found farther 
north than any other Echinocactus, in Colorado at an elevation of 8500 feet, 
or still higher in more southern districts. The tubercles are loosely 
arranged, half to three-quarters of an inch long, with several white spread¬ 
ing spines and a central yellowish one. The flowers are purple or rose, 
rather small but numerous on the upper part of the stem. The plant is 
dwarf, rarely exceeding 6 or 8 inched high, and usually much less, and was 
introduced by Messrs. Backhouse several years ago. 
E. VlSNAGA, Hooker (the Toothpick Cactus).—Not only is this the most 
remarkable in its own family, but in some respects it is also one of the most 
peculiar in the whole vegetable world. Quite a sensation was created when 
in 1846 this extraordinary plant was first described by Sir William Hooker, in 
Fig. 82. 
the Illustrated London News , and the particulars were published of the enormous 
weight and size which this species attains in its Mexican home. To F. Staines, 
Esq., of San Luis Potosi, is due the honour of introducing the first specimens 
to this country, which, however, was only effected after much labour and 
repeated trials, as the plants had to be conveyed many hundreds of miles 
across a most difficult country, with very rough roads, or in some parts none 
at all, and the only vehicles that could be employed were large waggons 
drawn by mules or oxen. The plants grow in deep ravines of the loftiest 
mountains of the district amongst large 
stones and rocks, with very little soil; 
but there they reach an enormous size, 
and being very slow in growth it is 
reasonably supposed that some of the 
largest must be several hundred years 
old. The finest specimen yet sent to 
this country was 9 feet high, 9£ feet 
in circumference, and weighed 1 ton ; 
but it died after it had been at Kew 
about a year. Smaller but still won¬ 
derful examples were subsequently sent, 
the principal weighing about 713 lbs., 
was 4 feet 6 inches high, the longi¬ 
tudinal circumference was 10 feet 
9 inches, the transverse circumference 
8 feet 7 inches. This also has been lost, and there are now few large plants 
in cultivation, the two handsome specimens which so long formed a standing 
attraction in Mr. Peacock’s collection having been lost a few years since. 
The stem is cylindrical, with forty to fifty ridges, upon which the pale 
brown sharp rigid spines are closely set in clusters of four, 2 or 3 inches m 
length, and these, it is said, are used by the Mexican settlers as toothpicks. 
The flowers are borne at the summit of the plant in a dense woolly substance ; 
they are 3 inches in diameter, with narrow petals serrated at the apex, and. 
bright golden yellow in colour. The name Viznaga,or Bisnaga, is considered 
to be a corruption of Bisacuta, twice-pointed, or sharpened on both sides, in 
reference to the spines. , , , . , . t 
The woodcut, fig. 82, has been prepared from a photograph of one of 
Mr Peacock’s fine plants, which unfortunately have been lost now. These 
were about 2 feet high and as much in diameter, and continued in vigorous 
Fig. 88.—Flower of E. Visnaga. 
