GoLor^do has'cacti in cfonsiderable'abundance and ouh ^ 
species are almost all ne\7 in collections. " A f tenuai 
of Rocky fountain Botany ’ by Boulter end IJelson lists 
the following: ^ 
liaiciliaria -i-4 .sjecies 
Jlchinodactus ' — • — . — 3 species 
2chinocereu3 - 5 species 
Opuntia - 11 species 
Te do not handle all of these 23 kinds since some are 
rare and others ;are so nearly alike’that there is no 
reason for handling several. 
Ail cacti native to Ccloradc grow in a high altitude with 
hot dry sumsisrs end cold variable v.duters. Our cacti are 
frost hardy and ■vithstand cold as extreme as 30 degrees 
below z'ero when in vdlted condition. They hecoine ilrm 
again with the warm sirring rains. It is reasonably safe 
to say that Colorado cacti will withstand the cold in 
many regions. In tnoir naiive state there is little 
winter mcistura so t}iat in moist climates they vdll need 
protection against too ':et a soil. They should enter 
winter in a somewhat vdlted condition, p<.cconpli 3heri by 
withholding some -.vater- Give as much strong sunlight as 
possible. Cacti are ci easy culture nnd rive a \;oa.th of 
1 icssoti and an interesting plant grovdh for a iainimum of 
ottenticn. The natural soil is dry and lo'v in organic 
matter but yet.fertile. Kucli is writuen about soil for 
cacti but remembering the above will enable a .person tc 
use .something at hand. ’ Clays hold too much WpHer, coarse 
sand not enough v/ater. Most soils betv/een these oxtreries 
can be used if well drained. Cactus soil should be free 
from a lot .-of fresh or«^.j:anic matter, yet a littl-e well- 
rotted organic ite.tter and sem© coin?-:ercial fertilizer is good 
since the cacti natiirally grov; on a fertile soil. 
Give a cactus good drainage and water infrequently, in 
winter espe'ciaiiy. Yet do not expect a cactus to thrive 
v/ithout water* They need more water in a pot than v/hen 
planted in the open. A good idea for a potted plant is to 
set the pot on a saucer v;ell filled v/ith sphagnum *of peat 
moss. A cactus,can be killed by drouth but a temporary 
lack of water fits the natural conditions better. Ours 
