NO TIME, NO GARDEN? THEN GROW CACTUS! 
CHARLES P. STEINMETZ 
Plants for the Man who Cannot Give l ime to the Greater Exactions of the More Usual Flowers 
P ^HE late Dr. Steinmetz—widely 
recognized as a master experi- 
?|i mentalist in electricity at the 
Sr General Electric Company 
Works, Schenectady, N. Y., and whose 
death shocked the country last October— 
had his avocations and found much en¬ 
joyment and recreation as a grower of 
Cactus, having gathered together an un¬ 
usual collection of specimens. Into his 
Cactus house he was wont to retire for 
relaxation from his technical problems, 
there finding solace. Thus does the toy¬ 
ing with living things serve a great pur¬ 
pose among the intensities of a busy 
world. Dr. Steinmetz also had a hobby 
in parrots. The following remarks were 
written some time ago in the course of 
personal correspondence about the sub¬ 
jects of this Doctor’s gardening fancy, for 
he was ever ready to turn from his figures 
and formulae to enthusiastic discussion of 
these strange plants that had captivated 
his imagination and affection.— Ed. 
“In my experience with Cactus I have 
always found them a most fascinating 
class of plants. The one thing they need 
more than anything else, is plenty of sunshine, and therefore, 
in this country success with them is almost assured. 
“The Leaf Cactus (Phyllocactus) as, for example, the so-called 
Night-blooming Cereus (Phyllocactus latifrons) and the large 
red-flowering Phyllocactus, the Epiphyllums (Christmas Cac¬ 
tus), the true Night-blooming Cereus (C. 
nycticaulis), and also some Hedgehog 
Cactus (Echinopsis, etc.) really are almost 
easier to cultivate and bring to bloom in 
a house than in the ordinary greenhouse. 
“All that is necessary is not to let 
them get near freezing in winter, but there 
is no limit to the upper temperature 
which they can stand. 
“Cactus should never be watered until 
the soil is very dry, especially in winter 
time, when they may practically be neg¬ 
lected for months; during hot summer 
weather, especially when flowering, they 
may have considerable water. 
“ They all need limestone soil, and when 
potting them, it is recommended to add 
to the soil some old mortar, from old brick 
walls, or finely broken up chalk. 
“Any piece of a Cactus, even a piece of 
unripe fruit, will make roots when laid on 
the soil, and grow, provided it is kept 
sufficiently dry not to rot. 
“With the exception of the tall col¬ 
umnar Cereus, many I ledgehog Cactus 
(Echinopsis), and Mamillarias—which 
are more difficult—Cactus and similar 
plants are really most thankful for house 
culture, as they stand neglect better than most other plants. 
“Similar in nature and treatment, and well worth cultivation in 
the house, are also the Stapelias with their numerous odd shaped 
flowers, also Aloes, and Agaves, and Euphorbias. Of the latter, 
the Crown-of-thorns (Euphorbia splendens) deserves special 
STEINMETZ IN HIS CACTUS HOUSE 
One of the several recreations of this remarkably 
gifted man was his passion for Cactus and he 
acquired considerable knowledge of its ways 
through hours spent in his small glasshouse with 
his interesting collection 
THE OLD-FASHIONED CRAB, OR CHRISTMAS, CACTUS 
Useful for the indoor garden because of its cheerful scarlet winter bloom, this 
strange crab-like native of Brazil has a certain grace and fascination; Zygocactus 
truncatus, perhaps more generally known as Epiphyllum truncatum shown here 
273 
