THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, July 27, 1858. 
matter as the soil intended for the growth of a Gera¬ 
nium or a Fuchsia. The soil, then, for these plants 
should consist of loam, such as can be obtained in a 
pasture field: the very best would be such as the mole 
throws out in searching after the worms, or forming 
his homely nest. In addition to this loam, add a free 
mixture of either silver sand, or finely-sifted river 
sand; then add to this a portion of sifted lime rubbish, 
and mix them all well together. This will form a 
compost that will grow these succulent, juicy-stemmed 
plants well. 
The Pots. —As the plants are intended, perhaps, for 
a parlour, or, may be, a cottage window, the pots should 
be made neat, and of the best material. Order them 
at a pottery, of such shape and material, and let the 
sizes be from one inch to three inches wide, and from 
two to four inches in depth. 
The Cuttings. —Having obtained the soil and the 
pots, then look out for the cuttings, and form them 
by taking off the lower leaves, if they have any. The 
Cacti will have none, neither will the Stapelias. The 
two latter will only require the end to be planted 
made quite smooth. Each cutting should not exceed 
from one inch to one inch and a half long. 
After the cuttings are made, our young gardener 
must exercise a little patience. The cuttings must 
lay on a shelf for at least three days before they are 
planted; for if they are planted immediately, the pores 
of the stem are so open, and the matter of which they 
are composed so soft, that they will decay and perish 
directly; therefore, be careful on this important point. 
Break into small pieces a few potsherds, and when 
the bottom of each cutting appears a little dried up, 
put some of the small broken pots at the bottom of 
each pot, and fill them nearly full with the compost 
in a moderately dry condition, pressing it in very firm. 
That being done, then plant the cuttings one in each 
little pot; make them to stand upright in the very 
centre of each pot; and, mind this point also, do not 
give any water to them for at least a week or ten days; 
then give a very small quantity. The best place to 
put the cuttings in is a window facing the morning 
sun; or, if you have not one so placed, then shade 
them from the noonday sun until the roots are pro¬ 
duced and evident growth begun; then let the sun 
shine fully on them, and increase the quantity of 
water, but never make them very wet, nor put any 
saucers under them, unless you raise the bottom of 
each pot so as not to come in contact with the water 
that may have run through the soil. Stagnant water 
is very fatal to these soft, pithy-stemmed plants. 
Having been successful in rooting the cuttings, the 
next question is,— 
Where to Grow them. —How, if the cultivator has a 
tiny or miniature greenhouse, he may grow a great 
number of these plants in it, by fitting it- up with 
narrow, neat shelves, and placing the plants, while they 
are small, pretty close together. If, however, there 
is no greenhouse, then form a little stand of three or 
more shelves, facing a window, and rising up in a 
stage-like manner from the window-sill; also, on each 
I jamb, or side of the window, form some neat, rounded- 
off shelves, supported by brackets. On each of these 
three plants may be placed. I have seen a window 
so managed, that held nearly a hundred plants, 
and was exceedingly interesting, even to passers by, 
and must have afforded a large amount of pleasure 
and innocent recreation to the owner. 
In Regent’s Park, London, there was formerly a 
greenhouse window filled with a fine collection of 
! Cacti and similar plants. The window, or windows, 
for I believe there were two so formed, were pushed 
out, supported by three strong stone brackets, and 
| extended a little on each side. Shelves were put 
255 
up on each side, and on them plants were placed, 
consisting chiefly of the most beautiful Cacti of the 
j Echinocactus, Mammillaria , fmdiMelocaetus subgenera. 
Some of the Pjpijphyllums were grown in ornamental 
baskets, and suspended from the roof. A more in¬ 
teresting sight I seldom saw. The plants grew finely, 
and flowered well, and were the admiration of every 
beholder, much more so than the usual occupants of a 
town window. 
Many a small conservatory attached to town villas 
might be so furnished, and would amply repay the 
cultivator for the necessary expense of the change. 
The next point to be considered is the 
Summer Management. — During the hot days of 
summer the plants would be greatly benefited by being 
set out in an open place in a garden on a bed of coal- 
ashes. There they would grow stout, and ripen their 
wood, and thus acquire strength to pass through the 
winter. Should the cultivator have no garden, then 
let him set out the plants (whenever a gentle shower 
is falling) on the flags, or any place handy ; but do 
not expose them in a wind, or heavy storm. When 
in-doors, give them plenty of air; and water pretty 
freely, when the soil is dry. Some of the plants may 
require larger pots : in that case, repot them carefully, 
using plenty of drainage. The large growing Mesem- 
bryanthemums may require small tidy sticks to support 
them, and spread out the branches. Apply these so 
that they will be seen as little as possible. Some 
drooping kinds may be put in tiny baskets, and sus¬ 
pended from the top of the window. In such a situa¬ 
tion, and so managed, they look very well. 
Winter Management. —During this inclement season 
the }3lants should be kept rather dry. Frequently they 
will do better without water for months together, 
especially the small Cacti and Aloes. Though many 
of them are tolerably hardy, yet they are impatient of 
frost, and, therefore, must be kept from it. If the 
room or greenhouse has no artificial heat, the plants 
must be taken from near the glass, and put into a 
place where the frost cannot reach them. I cannot 
speak to a certainty whether gas—now so much used 
in dwellings—is injurious to them. Certainly, they 
will bear it better than any other tribe of plants. Dust 
is a great drawback on their health, and as they will 
n ot bear syringing in winter, a camel-hair brush should 
be used to clean off the dust. In my next, I will give 
the promised list. T. Appleby. 
{To he continued .) 
MRS. LOUDOH. 
In our last number we announced the death of this lady, 
and we will now proceed to give, with some few additions, 
marked by parentheses, what is really her autobiography ; for 
she was so identified with all her husband’s pursuits, owing 
to his decrepitude, that in sketching his life she at the same 
time has portrayed a very considerable portion of her own :— 
“ About this time (1829) Mr. Loudon formed his first 
acquaintance with me. My father (Thomas Webb, Esq., of 
Ritwell House, near Birmingham) died in 1824 ; and, finding 
on the winding up of his affairs that it would be necessary for 
me to do something for my support, I had written a strange, 
wild novel, called “ The Mummy,” in which I had laid the 
scene in the twenty-second century, and attempted to predict 
the state of improvement to which this country might pos¬ 
sibly arrive. Mr. Loudon chanced to see the review of this 
book in the Literary Gazette , and, as among other things I 
had mentioned a steam-plough, it attracted his attention, and 
he procured the work from a circulating library. He read 
it, and was so much pleased with it, that he published, in 
“ The Gardener’s Magazine,” for 1828, a notice of it under 
the head of “ Hints for Improvementsand he had from 
that time a great desire to become acquainted with the author, 
whom he supposed to be a man.” 
