KF^r 
l PR IOH SIX CENTS 
I $2.50 l’ER YEAR. 
NEW YORK, AND ROCHESTER. N. Y, JAN. 'JO, 1872 
VOL. XXV. NO. 3. 
WHOLE NO. 1147 
[ En t ore due c o rd 1 11 n to Act of Congress, in the year 187:7, by I). D. T. Moons, In the Office of tbc Librarian of Congress, at Washington.] 
any reader of tho Ritual New-Yorker 
who has never tried ids yr her bund at 
raising seedling plants, wo Hope they will 
not allow another season to pass with¬ 
out making at least one attempt In this di¬ 
rection. Try fruit seed as well as flower; 
in other words, let no seeds go to waste, but 
put them all into a proper position for 
growth, and take your eliaueo 
in nature’s great lottery. 
even where there is no prospect of moneyed 
gain, and dislike to see seeds of any choice 
variety of fruit or (lower thrown away. 
A few fruit seeds planted in some corner 
of the garden may in time become trees of 
great value, for they grow old as we advance 
in years, and take nothing from our happi¬ 
ness even if they add nothing. We had 
what form they come, or among what kind 
of people they are found, all alike yield, and 
become devotees of the “ Prince of luck.” 
The horticulturist, and all who love plant 
culture in auy of Its branches, exhibit their 
fondues* for chance results, in trying ex¬ 
periments, usually in raising seedlings. 
There is certainly a peculiar, facinating kind 
JUncultiuiitl 
GIANT CACTUS—(Cereus Giganteus) 
Among the many wonders in the vegetable 
kingdom there are few which have attract¬ 
ed more attention than the 
Mexican cacti. Some of the 
species are so small as to bo 
scarcely noticed as they grow 
in t he sand or crevices of rocks, 
while others assume the giant 
proportions of our largest 
forest trees, rising perpendic¬ 
ularly to the bight of fifty or 
sixty feet and of a form shown 
in the accompanying illustra¬ 
tion, which is an exact repre¬ 
sentation of a view along the 
Gila River, as given in Yol. 2 
of the Mexican Boundary Sur¬ 
vey, a work published by our 
Government a few years since. 
The largest specimens shown 
in the foreground, ami those 
In the distance, are healthy 
and vigorous; while at the 
right an old and decaying one 
is seen, with the top of the 
main stem, as well as branches, 
splintered, showing their 
tough, fibrous texture. 
The flowers are produced in ••• 
great abundance near the sum- HKI 
niit, and are four or five 
inches long and nearly as 
broad. Tin- sepals are green¬ 
ish white, petals light cream 
color. The color of the fruit is 
green, slightly reddish at the 
upper end. The pulp is crimson 
and of a sweet, but rather in¬ 
sipid flavor. 
The plants, when young, are 
globose in form, and retain 
this shape for many years, but ^ s 
eventually assume the oolutu- • 
liar form as shown. This 
species of cactus probably 
lives to as great age as any 
of our forest trees, judging 
from the slow growth of the ■ 
young plants raised from seed ifY 
brought from Mexico. pi, Ik, . 
In tlie Ri uai. New-Yorker X -|gs. 
of Dec. Kith, 1871, page 377, 
appeared a note from the Alta 1 
Californian in regard to this 
Gigantic Cactus, and although 
the statement there made 
might seem to some persons 
rather overdrawn, still it is 
probably true in every par- ! 
Prof. Geo. TntruuEUof New gfgSjEl 
York City, brought from 
Mexico, a few years since, a 
large quantity of the seed of 
this cactus, which he distri- Jggfl 
buted, and from it quite a 
number of plants were raised. * 
LIQUID MANURE FOR HOUSE 
PLANTS. 
In the Rural New-Yorker 
for Dec. 23d I notice liquid 
manure recommended for 
house plants. As that can¬ 
not always lie had, especially 
in a village in winter, dirty 
suds in which clothing inis 
been washed, I find, will an¬ 
swer as well. I have been using 
it once a week all winter and 
my plants never grew so fast 
or looked so well. 1 have a 
double Primrose, in a three- 
inch pot, on which I can count 
over a hundred blossoms; also 
some small bi-color and white 
Geraniums, started for spring 
planting, only three inches 
high, the leaves measuring 
four inches iu diameter. My 
largest Calla stands three’, feet 
two inches high ; leaves, fif¬ 
teen inches; also many other 
things, all of which 1 attribute 
to the use of my dirty suds 
once a week. 
Last summer 1 watered all 
my roses with it, and the pil¬ 
lar roses with dish-water. The 
slugs scarcely troubled them 
and the blossoms were really 
wonderful, both in quantity 
and quality, i think my Balti¬ 
more Belle must have grown 
over thirty feet last season. I 
never have any slops wasted. 
Bed-room slops are just tho 
kind to throw around the roots 
of young shade trees. I think 
that is what saved our Moun¬ 
tain Asli last year from tho 
borers; at any rate it never 
does any harm to save all tho 
slops for grape vines and hardy 
trees. Mrs. S. J. Howard. 
FUCHSIAS FROM SEED 
Fuohsia« are readily grown 
from seed, and usually vary 
widely from the original stock. 
The seed pods should be al- 
' A lowed to remain on the plant 
until they fall off; then lay 
them aside for a fow days, or 
until they begin to decay. 
Tim seed may t hen bo washed 
' from tho pulp and spread upon 
paper to dry. They may bo 
'j sown immediately, or kept for 
a few months in paper hags. 
Sow the seeds in flue, sifted 
soil composed of leaf mold 
and saml, covering not more 
than an eighth of an inch 
deep; sprinkle the soil with 
water, being careful not to 
wash away the seed; then place the pots or 
boxes oontaiuing them in a warm place, 
giving water as required. When the seed¬ 
lings are largo enough to handle, pot off 
singly Into small thumb pots. As the 
plants become large and strong, shift into 
larger pots. 
RAISING SEEDLING PLANTS 
Every person who raises 
plants from seed stands a 
chance of producing something 
new and valuable. Whether 
it be pear, apple or any species of orna¬ 
mental plant, the chances are in favor 
of a now variety, and it is this expecta¬ 
tion of particular i*esults which adds so 
much to the pleasure of the operation. 
The games of chance seem to have a peculiar 
attractiveness about them; no matter in 
(Oereus Grigante-us.) 
much rather spend our time cultivating a 
bed of seedling Fuchsias, Geraniums, Roses, 
or any of the common ornamental plants, 
than have the pick of the very best collec¬ 
tion of some other grower who has already 
skimmed the cream from the cup of pleas¬ 
ure iu producing them. Should there be 
of pleasure derived from knowing that we 
possess something, no matter how indiffer¬ 
ent it maybe, that no one else has the exact 
like, if a new variety of value is produced 
and propagated, another pleasure may be 
derived from a distribution of the same. 
We confess to be fond of this game of chance, 
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