210 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
that these plants, often in the form of mere masses of soft 
I vegetable matter armed with a formidable array of cdose 
sot spines, are in immediate affinity with the gooseberry 
and currant, and that the fruit of the Indian figs are as 
refreshing as that of either. Opuntias, generally, are not 
favourites with gardeners, and yet there are many of the 
dwarf species peculiarly suited for those who have little 
j time to watch the requirements of more delicate races. 
The common Indian fig, Opuntia vulgaris, like the 
houseleek, will live for months on the tiles of a house if 
a foot-holding is provided for it, and without any water¬ 
ings. We have known specimens of it outliving several 
; winters in such airy places both in England and in 
Ireland. One peculiarity in the growth of the Opuntias 
1 is their extending in successive joints, the connecting 
parts being often not larger than the stalk of an apple, 
while the flat pieces between these joints extend to 
several inches, with the broadest end often uppermost. 
Yet, in the course of time, this is changed in the stronger 
species into straight stems as circular and firm as the 
handle of a garden rake. In short, wood for fuel is 
obtained from Opuntia as well as from the lofty columnar 
Cereuses. 
The great value of Opuntia is in the production of the 
I cochineal insect, which is reared on the soft parts of Opuntia 
\ cochemllifera, called nopal in South America, and the dried 
insect, cochinilla by the Spaniards, who had a monopoly in 
I the cochineal trade before the revolt of the Spanish American 
provinces. Since that revolt this trade has taken a more 
; natural course from the producing plantations, or from 
neighbouring ports, as that from Mexico and the Spanish 
I Main through the British West Indian Colonies. The 
! cochineal insect furnishes an extremely rich red colouring 
; matter, long used in scarlet dyeing, anil in the manufacture 
! of carmine, one of the chemical components of cochineal 
being now called carminium—a solid matter, of a perfect red 
colour, very soluble in water. “ If gelatinous alumina be added 
l to a solution of carminium these two substances combine, 
’ and the solution is completely decolourised. The compound 
[January 2. J 
thus obtained is of a fine red colour, and is called Lake ; hut 
it may he rendered crimson by heating it in the liquor in 
which it is formed.” The red or crimson of the cochineal 
is rendered scarlet by what the dyers call “tin spirits,” that 
is, muriate or chloride of tin. In appearance the cochineal 
insect looks much like the white woolly substance known to 
gardeners by the name of American blight, or woolly insect, 
so destructive to their apple-trees. The female insect only 
is collected, and the difference in the different kinds of the 
cochineal of commerce arises from the different methods 
employed to kill and dry the insects. Adulterations are 
made by mixing old insects, consisting of mere skins, with a 
fresh and genuine sample. _ j 
Opuntia Salmiana is believed to he a native of Brazil, and 
came into the Kew collection from the Trince de Saint’s 
gardens at Herenliaussen. It is a stove plant, not more 
than two feet high. Branches, upright, cylindrical, ashy- 
green, blunt at the end; areolcs, or little woolly patches, are 
arranged in quincunx order over the branches, with six or 
eight small prickles issuing from each. Flowers, about 
two inches across, clustered at the top of a branch, sulphur 
coloured, streaked with red and pink in the centre. It is 
easily propagated from seed, cuttings, and “ by buds pro¬ 
duced on each areole of the fruit, which ultimately form 
separate and distinct plants.” B. J. 
THE ERUIT-GARDEN. 
Vines in Pots.— We may now commence with the : 
propagation itself, by means of eyes, which is tlie estab¬ 
lished mode, and approved by all, as probably approach- 1 
ing nearer to the seedling state than any other; and as , 
information is frequently sought on this head by 
amateurs who attend to their own gardens, we must 
give our advice in regular detail. Well ripened wood 
from healthy established vines is the best, and that | 
with very large joints, removed with a small portion ol j 
the two-year-old wood, grows the strongest. About one 
inch of the shoot above, and one below the hud, will i 
suffice; the cutting will thus be two inches in length, j 
Some persons cut the shoot through longitudinally, 
reserving three-fourths of the wood on the hud side, j 
and most of the pith; we, however, never found any j 
decided advantage in the practice. Single eyes may • 
now he put in pots about four to five inches in I 
diameter;—soil, a rich and mellow loam, or any good J 
garden soil. Care must he taken to secure excel¬ 
lent drainage; and the eye must be placed an inch j 
at least below the surface of the soil. And, now, a 
hottom-lieat, although by no means indispensable, will , 
be of immense service; it will, indeed, rear them in | 
half the time otherwise required. From 70° to 80° 
will he proper; and if they can he secured an atmo- ; 
spheric warmth of 50” to 6CV, they will soon produce 
shoots. If they are plunged, means must he taken to 
prevent the worms getting into the pots; three inches , 
of coal-ashes beneath the pots will ensure this. Alter 
potting they will want little attention until they have 
made shoots above the soil; a little water will be re¬ 
quisite occasionally. In a month they will he nice plants 
of about six or eight inches in height, and their pots will 
be full of roots ; and those who wish to obtain large i 
plants, must give them a “shift,'’ and such may be a 
final one for the season. Seven or eight-inch pots will 
now be necessary, and a more generous soil still. Nothing 
can exceed an old turf which has lain in the compost-, 
yard for a twelvemonth, with one-third its bulk ot 
old leaf soil, and good manure, adding a little sand and 
charcoal to the mixture, which must not be fine ; 
thorough drainage as before. They should again receive 
bottom warmth until the pots are nearly filled with 
roots ; and if the eyes were started in the beginning ot 
February, such will he the case about Midsummer, 
when, if necessary, the pots may be removed from the 
plunging medium ; caution, however, must be exercised 
