310 
.JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND GOTIAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 1884. 
tself has sheltered them. That is so concerning those trees that bear 
fruit. Concerning those sorts that are not bearing, whether sheltered or 
unsheltered, and they are the majority of the trees in the orchard, I am 
at a loss to account for it, except by attributing it to that April frost, 
which appears to be the scapegoat for all the empty orchards this season. 
Curiously enough there are two trees here of Minchal Crab that have 
not an Apple on them, and such a thing has not been remembered of 
them by the oldest p'-rson on the place. Again, Caldwell’s, of which we 
have three or four large trees, have not an Apple on them. Pike’s Pear- 
main, too, the same number of trees, not quite so large or so old, but just 
in their prime, are all empty but one, and that one stands at the top end 
of the orchard, and protected first by the hedge and Walnuts before 
mentioned, but in addition by a large Beurre d’Amanlis and a Catillac 
Pear tree. Now all the Blenheim Pippin trees are bearing ; one of them 
has a very good crop upon it. This stands rather under a Walnut tree 
and close to the high hedge at the bottom of the grounds, but all the 
others have some fruit. Lord Lennox is bearing, but only on the side of 
the tree away from the north and north-east. Ribston Pippins, fine 
trees, are nearly bare; four have one or two fruits here and there 
scattered over them, like the “ gleaning of Grapes when the vintage is 
done,” and the fifth, and a large tree too, has only a peck of fruit on it, 
and this tree has about the same amount of protection from the large 
Pear trees alluded to above as the Pike’s Pearmain has. 
Two trees of Duchess of Oldeuburgh, or as it is called hereabouts the 
Russian Apple, bear by a reciprocal law of alternation, one, one year, 
the other the next, and this has happened with unchanging regularity 
for the past six years; that I can bear witness to from personal know¬ 
ledge. It is amusing to see the consistent regularity of this yearly 
arrangement. It is uncommonly convenient, I must say, as this, after 
the Early Julyan, is the first Apple that we gather. By the way, there is 
not a Summering of any sort, English or American, on the place ; and 
were it not for two large trees of Yorkshire Greenings we should be in a 
bad state for a winter supply of Apple®. These have a full crop on them. 
I mean to send you this Apple up some time to see if it is correct, because 
a local fruitist calls it Steathe’s Incomparable. Of course Keswick Codlin 
has fruited in its usual form, so also has Lord Suffield. On some young 
trees there have been fair crops of Alexander, Crystal Palace, and New 
Northern Greening, and also another local winter Apple, Barton Free- 
bearer. Normanton Wonder, a much-desired Apple by the cook, is bare 
this year. Besspools we do not expect to see, except now and then. 
When a crop does come gardeners hereabouts call it a Besspool year. 
With respect to Pears Jargonelle was very thin this year, Williams’ 
Bon Chretien a little better, Louise Bonne de Jersey about the same, 
BeuriA d’Amanlis on bushes in the garden very fair, on a large tree in 
the orchard a fair crop ; Comte de Lamy a fair crop in the garden, so 
also Beurrh Diel and Glou Moiijeau. There are no Bergamot Pears this 
year, no Huntingdons, a few Catillac, and then the list may be closed, 
leaving us with a poor supply of both Apples and Pears to face the winter 
with. 
Glare of the Garden Dahlia .—A brother gardener goes into the 
garden of another brother, and on seeing a Dahlia says, ‘'Oh, I see you 
have Glare of the Garden 1 ” “ No,” says the other, “ I have not, that 
is Crystal Palace Gem ” (or Crystal Palace Scarlet, I forget the exact 
word). “I tell you,” says the first, “ that’s Glare of the Garden. I got 
mine direct from Cannell.” “ I don’t care where you got it,” says 
number two, “ that’s Crystal Palace Gem, and I have grown it many 
years now,” Is this so ? Is Glare of the Garden only an old sort revived 
and sent out under another name ? What shall we learn next ?— 
H., Notts. 
CACTACEOUS PLANTS. 
{Continued from page 492, la.it vol.) 
The true Cereuses having been noticed in the preceding papers on 
this subject, the three other groups which are now referred to the genus 
Cereus demand attention. 
Echinocereus. —In general appearance, and particularly in the 
regularity and beauty of their spines, the plants grouped under the 
head Echinocereus are somewhat suggestive of the Mamillarias, or in a 
few cases of the Echinocactuses. The stems are mostly cylindrical, of 
moderate height, much dwarfer than the majority of Cereuses, and 
approaching to a semiglobose form ; they are marked by longitudinal 
ridges either straight or spiral, and these bear the fascicles of spines 
sometimes in two series, differently coloured. The flowers differ very 
much in size, colour, and beauty ; some do not exceed an inch in 
diameter, and others are fully 4 inches across; some are green or dull 
yellow, while others are of the brightest yellow, rose, or purple. In a 
horticultural point of view they are very interesting, for several of the 
most ornamental and free-flowering species are hardy in dry positions, 
and they all succeed in a cool frame or house, being therefore especially 
suitable for amateurs who have no convenience for growing the tropical 
Cactese. Another important and valuable quality is the length of time 
the flowers last, in which respect they are quite different from the 
majority of their allies. Some will expand every day for a week, and in 
a few exceptional cases the flowers will continue opening at intervals for 
twelve or fourteen days. They also display a great partiality for sun¬ 
light, and generally open about mid-day or early in the afternoon, closing 
before dusk. The fruits of most of the species are edible, and pleasantly 
flavoured with the peculiar Gooseberry-like acidity, which it has been 
already stated is characteristic of the family ; and further, some of them 
assume rich tints in ripening that are very ornamental. 
The culture of the Echinocereuses is very simple, as where they are 
grown out of doors it is chiefly necessary to protect them from excessive 
rain or stagnant moisture in the soil, as they will endure very low 
temperatures, provided the soil and air be dry, without the slightest 
injury. This is the great difSculty with which we have to contend with 
in growing them out of doors in England ; and it is safest to have a cool 
frame for their winter quarters, or a suitable covering if they cannot be 
readily moved. Mr. E. G. Loder, Weedon, Northampton, has been very 
successful with these plants, and on several occasions he has shown 
groups of the most attractive species at Kensington, when they caused 
quite a sensation, as few are aware of their beauty when in flower. The 
same gentleman fully explained his system of treatment at one of the 
evening meetings of the Royal Horticultural Society at Burlington 
House, the substance of which is the same as that indicated in the 
preceding notes; but plants have been left out at Weedon unprotected 
throughout severe winters. The Echinocereus in common with a few 
Echinocactuses and Opuntias do not, however, succeed on a level surface, 
and when placed out they should have a dry sloping bank near a wall, 
preferably in a southern aspect, as to insure their flowering well they 
need a thorough ripening. 
E. GONACANTHUS. —This and the following were collected in the Rocky 
Mountains, and shown by Mr. Loder at Kensington on June 14th, 1881, when 
the Floral Committee awarded first-class certificates for them. Since then 
they have become great favourites with many persons, and the number of 
their cultivators is fast increasing. E. gonacanthus in particular is ex¬ 
tremely handsome when flowering, and is not surpassed by any related 
species. It is dwarf in habit, rarely exceeding 6 inches in height, the stems 
ribbed and spinose, bearing the flowers in clusters on the upper part. The 
blooms are about 3 inches long and 2 inches across the mouth, of an intensely 
bright orange red, and possessing a luscre like thatseen in the petals of some 
of the Phyllocactus, the bright green stigmas contrasting strangely with the 
other portion of the flower. They also continue expanded for a week or 
more, and under favourable circumstances last for nearly a fortnight. 
E. FendleRI. —Very distinct from the preceding, but almost as beautiful, 
is E. Fendleri, and the two make excellent companions for a rockery or 
similar situation. The last-named is rather stronger in growth than the 
other, reaching a height of 8 inches, cylindrical in form, and bearing two 
series of spines, the smaller radiating latsrallyand light in colour, the central 
ones much longer, very dark, nearly black, and upturned. Even when not 
in flower the plant is attractive, and is easily recognised when once seen. 
The flowers are sometimes as much as 4 inches in diameter, and about the 
same in length, varying slightly in hue from a dark rose to a rich shining 
crimson, very handsome and striking in bright sunlight. They have the 
peculiarity, however, of only remaining open for two or three hours at mid¬ 
day, closing and re-opening for a week or more. Engelmann states that in 
Mexico this opening and closing of the flowers is very constant, the former 
taking place at noon on each day, and the closing about 2 P.M., but under our 
cloudy skies the regularity is not so marked, and in dull weather the flowers 
often refuse to open for several days. The early summer months is the time 
at which the blooms usually appear, and like E. gonacanthus this species 
requires a sandy or rocky soil, though both can be well grown in properly 
drained pots. 
Numbers of other species are known, but few are in general cultivation, 
though some may be briefly mentioned as distinct and beautiful. One of the 
best is E. dasyacanthus, which is especially notable for its regular and hand¬ 
some fascicles of spines. Its flowers are also large and bright yellow, being 
produced near the summit of the plant, and opening about noon. In common 
with some other members of the genus it has remarkable number of stamens, 
as many as 1700 having been counted in one flower, while the fruit when|ripe 
is of a fine purplish colour. E. ctenoides also has large yellow flowers and 
closely set fascicles of spines on narrow spiral ridges. E. csespitosus has 
fine and pretty spines symmetrically arranged ; E. longisetus is notable for 
its long deflexed spines ; E. stramineus forms dense masses of heads like 
some of the Mamillarias, has long formidable spines, and bears dark rose- 
coloured flowers. E. phaeniceus, E. pauciflorus, E. chloranthus, and E. viri- 
diflorus are also curious forms. One very distinct variety in Mr. Boiler’s 
collection must not be omitted—namely, E. pectinatus ruflspinus, which has 
numerous neat brown spines, and bright shining rose-coloured flowers 
3 inches in diameter. 
PiLOCEREUS. —The “ Old Man” Cactus is one of the curiosities of 
plant life which always attract attention, and its appearance is certainly 
sufficiently strange to excite some surprise. Pilocereus senilis deriyes 
both its botanical and popular names from the large number of long 
silvery white hairs which cover the upper portion of its stem, and impart 
a peculiar resemblance to the hoary head of an aged man. These hairs 
are really soft weak spines, which attain the length of several inches, and 
instead of spreading regularly, or projecting rigidly, as in other members 
of the family, they are flaccid and pendulous, thickly clothing the stem. 
As was remarked, however, in the case of the Mamillarias, it is necessary 
to protect this plant from dust if it be desired to preserve its beauty, for 
it has a very disreputable and unwholesome appearance when what 
should be silvery white hairs become dingy and stained. It is, therefore, 
preferably grown in a small glass case, where with a few other select 
Cactuses it will be seen to excellent advantage. Though P. senilis is one 
of the best known species in small collections, yet large plants are seldom 
seen, and probably the finest in England is that grown at the Oxford 
Botanic Garden. This is 16 feet high, of proportionate diameter, and 
has been in cultivation at least a hundred years, having been originally 
imported by the Duke of Bedford, and transferred at the dispersal of the 
unique Woburn collection to Oxford. Even this height is said to be 
exceeded in its native home of Mexico, where specimens have been 
described as reaching the height of 20 feet. One character common in 
varying degrees to all the Cacteas, but very strongly developed in the 
“ Old Man ” Cactus, is the large quantity of calcium oxalate secreted in 
the cells of the stem. To such a degree are these crystals formed,'that 
