August 9, 1858. 3 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE. AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
115 
Tooti fibrous and abundant near the surface, stored above and 
below ground with thoroughly assimilated matter ; and the long- 
jointed, link, coarse-jointed, and large-pithed, with roots some¬ 
where, but not near the surface, full of watery unassimilated 
matter both above and below ; or that description of Yine which 
from poverty of resource in making wood and roots are strawy ; 
and how do they act in respect of ai'riul roots ? They act as re¬ 
gards the first well, and as regards the other badly. In the first 
them is abundance of stored sap in firm thoroughly matured parts, 
wdiich are not liable to los3 to nearly the same extent as the other 
under disadvantageous conditions ; the roots are more numerous 
and much more ligneous, consequently many more or the greater 
part of those annually formed survive, and consequently push roots 
sufficient for the supply of nutriment. There is little or no 
emission of aerial roots unless there be an advantage in growth 
through greater geniality than the roots enjoy, which is clearly an 
error or mistake of culture rather than resulting of anything par¬ 
ticularly wrong with the Vines, and that is soon rectified by 
recourse to more suitable treatment. The presence or otherwise of 
aerial roots is resultant of inadequacy of aliment proportionate to 
the condition of growth. Restore the reciprocal action between 
the roots and head, and aerial roots will cease growing without any 
disadvantage to the growth other than a tendency to check it and 
insure its solidification. The other description of Yine will, if 
-examined, have very few and thick soft roots, fibres absent or much 
damaged, being made late and soft, as are the growths, and they 
collapse during the winter, shrunk if dry, or decayed if wet. 
Nothing is ripe to insure their preservation ; they suffer more loss 
Toy annual decay of the roots than those that are firm and ripened. 
The Vines start badly, the rods must be kept dripping with 
moisture and the atmosphere like a stew pan to induce the buds to 
move, with the result that tissue-paper-like foliage is formed, 
becoming flaccid under sun, and the bunches twist and curl. The 
Vines push aerial roots from the stems, rods, and spur stems—- 
every part in fact whore there is or has been a deposit of the 
. assimilated matter—and these afford a temporary relief to the 
Vines by taking from the atmosphere the elements they are in¬ 
sufficiently supplied with by the roots. These roots remain until 
there is enough formed in the soil to meet the requirements of the 
growths, when they begin to wither and ultimately shrivel alike 
from the better supply of matter from the roots in the soil and the 
drier treatment accorded the Vines, which it is needless to point out,is 
not favourable to the extension and continuance of the aerial roots. 
It must not be overlooked that Vines outdoors do not emit 
aerial roots nearly so frequently as those under glass, but it is not a 
question of degree, but of why they emit aerial roots at all. If it 
be moisture with geniality of climate favouring more growth than 
fhe roots proper can adequately support, my argument falls to the 
ground, and we have only to maintain a drier atmosphere to prevent 
air roots appearing, we having instead thoroughly solidified growth 
from the commencement, continued all through until we have wood 
and buds perfected and stored down to the root tips. With Vines 
in that happy state aerial roots need not cause anxiety to the culti- 
wator, as with rational treatment they will keep on their even way 
for nobody knows how long. Whenever aerial roots appear from 
almost every part of the stem, and particularly where the spurs 
diverge from the rods at the base of canes on the ripened, or wood 
-of the previous year, then be sure that the time has come when 
the roots in the border are not equal to the supply of nutriment 
the Vines require. No time should then be lost in preparing 
materials, such as clean drainage and suitable compost for forming a 
fresh border, in which to lay the roots nearer the surface when the 
growth is sufficiently matured for its performance. If the Vines 
have nothing but bare thick roots with a few small ones at the collar, 
it may be a question as to whether it would not be better to make 
a fresh start, planting Vines that are well furnished with roots, 
letting the after treatment be such as will preserve them, and then 
there will be no occasion to interfere with them other than to 
afford food supplies, or crude material for its manufacture.— 
G. Abbey. 
NOTES ON CACTUSES. 
Some thirty years ago I was garden boy in a fine old garden 
under a fine old Yorkshire gardener. He was a stern master and was 
called one of the old school. I have always considered him to be the 
best gardener under whom I ever served, as in spite of his natural 
sternness he was more communicative than the majority of head 
gardeners were in those days. Might I say a word in the behalf of 
the young men of the present day ? That the majority of “ head ” 
gardeners are anxious as to the future welfare of the learners 
amder them admits of little doubt; still, if we are to believe all we 
hear and see, there are cases to the contrary. That kind words 
of encouragement are not always thrown away requires no proving. 
They tend to give confidence and to enreader aa interest in the 
work to be done. I will not digress further, but will revert to the 
heading of my paper. 
I was at the date named employed in weeding garden and 
pleasure ground walks, except on wet days, when I hid to go into 
the houses, and nearly always had the same task set m.9— namely, 
cleaning C ictus plants. When the old gardener gave mo orders 
what I was to do he always ended with the strict injunction, “ Mind 
don’t knock t’pricks off.” Hiving the same task repeatedly, I had 
a fancy that the regular workers in the houses hid an objection 
to these peculiar plants, it may have been on account of the spines. 
At all events I became familiar with the plants, and when one day 
I was told by my old master that I was the best hind at cleaning 
Cactus that he ever had I was more than ever interested in them. 
Not long after I was promoted to the charge of some houses ; they 
became my favourite plants, and I may add they have remained so 
to this day, and at the present time, although I hive under my 
charge a goodly number of plants in considerable variety, including 
Orchids, which seem to be the fashionable, and I fully recognise 
their usefulness and beauty, yet my love for the striking, twisting, 
and stunted masses of vegetable matter of the Cactus family remains 
predominant. That this is a neglected class of plants cannot 
be denied, for although I have under my charge a collection that 
can be counted by the hundred, yet hundreds of gardens may be 
visited, and members of tho Cactus family not be seen, excepting 
perhaps Epiphyllums, and they deservedly have held their own in 
most gardens. 
It would be somewhat difficult, for me, at least, to state a 
reason why the plants under notice are so seldom seen. It cannot 
be on account of the difficulties in their culture, because none 
exists, whilst their gorgeous flowers rival in beauty and variety of 
colour the majority of flowering plants. Certainly they are not 
so chastely beautiful as the majority of Orchids, neither are they 
so costly. One objection thit I have heard levelled against Cac¬ 
tuses is that the flowers are short-lived. Certainly they do not 
last so long as those of many other plants, still a continuity of 
blooms may be had over a long period. Some of the plants under 
my charge commenced flowering in April, and we have not had a 
break of a single day up to date ; and although the blooms naturally 
become less numerous a3 the season advances, we hope to have occa¬ 
sional blooms well into August, which means Cactus flowers for 
about five months. Some of them are deliciously scented, and many 
colours and forms are represented, from the tiny Mamillarias in 
thumb pots to the magnificent Cereus in large tubs. 
The Night-flowering Cactus, Cereus grandiflorus, is one of the 
most popular of the whole genus, and should be grown in every 
garden, for although it is generally supposed to require a stove 
temperature, it will nevertheless succeed fairly well in a minimum 
temperature of 38°. This species is mostly to be found growing up 
a wall on which moss is fixed by some contrivance, so that as the stems 
ramble over the surface the roots from them take possession of 
the moss, which, when the plant is growing freely, should be kept 
moist by syringing. In such a position it flourishes admirably, but 
we prefer to grow this Cereus in a smaller compass, so that when 
the flowers appear we can move the plants about at pleasure, and 
instead of the ladies having to leave the drawing-room at night to 
see the flowers, wa can carry the plants to the room to see the ladies. 
Plants grown on this, what I shall call restricted system, are there¬ 
fore much appreciated. Six to ten-inch pots are used, and plants in 
such pots will, under attentive cultivation, carry from one to four 
blooms respectively. Three or four sticks are placed in each pot, 
and as the growths extend they are trained round them. Another 
plan I have found to answer well is to have galvanised iron stakes 
and ordinary small-meshed galvanised wire netting put round them, 
forming a sort of cylinder, which is filled with moss into which the 
plants root freely. 
The compost used for this plant i3 sandy loam made very porous 
by adding a sufficient quantity of pounded bricks and pieces of 
charcoal, and when the plants become well established and in full 
growth liquid manure is applied in a diluted form two or three 
times. No manure is mixed with the soil, as from experience I am 
satisfied that the plants succeed better without it. The judicious 
use of water is absolutely necessary to ensure success. When in 
full and active growth give water freely, and place the plants in a 
somewhat shady position. When growth is completed place them 
in the full sun, and give water less often. When the stems assume 
a reddish hue it is a sure sign that they are ripened, and little or no 
water should be given until the spring, when signs of growth are 
again apparent. It should then be given with much caution, only 
sufficient to prevent shrivelling, or flower buds will not appear. As 
soon as these buds are safely formed more water may be given* but 
always with thoughtful care, especially if the plants are in a low 
temperature, cold and damp being fatal to the roots. To propagate 
young stock after taking off the shoots lay them on a shelf in the 
