
THE STORY OF CACTUS 5 

allowing the barbs to slip off. They also made combs of spines and in a 
few cases ornaments, by weaving them into small species of deerskin. 
It is the spines which clothe the cactus in its bright colors all the way from 
the white spines of the Cephalocereus senilis to the black spines of the 
Echinocereus fendleri (86) (centrals) which stand out like a large black 
darning-needle. What could be more beautiful than an Echinocactus grusonii 
about the size of a large tub with its bright golden spines, or the red and 
yellow rings of Echinocereus rigidissimus (106). 
CACTUS CULTURE 
Cactus culture is not hard but there are a few ironclad rules one must 
follow. First, find out what country the cactus comes from, then about how 
much water it takes. If the country is in the tropics, one will know the 
cactus will freeze in a cold climate. It must be protected from cold. If it 
comes from a country where the rainfall is excessive, one can very well know 
that the soil will be rich and waxy because rain makes plants grow and the 
faster a plant grows, the quicker it dies and goes back into the soil as humus. 
If the plant comes from a dry country, one can figure it grows in sand and 
needs a supply of lime. By this, one can see it is very important when 
preparing soil to make it either heavy, light, sandy or with lime, to meet the 
needs of each individual cactus, and it is a good idea to put a little lime or 
broken mortar in each batch of soil. 
When we mix soil for our cacti, we take half heavy soil and half clean 
sand and when we are in doubt as to the purity of the soil, we heat it on 
a pan over a hot fire. Then we add about a quart of crushed old mortar to 
a bushel of this mixture. This will do for nearly all cacti. If it is heat 
treated, one must fertilize again as the humus is burnt out. We suggest one 
secure some cow-lot manure that is over one year old. If one uses commercial 
fertilizer, he should be careful not to use too much. Using the above soil the 
plants which come from a wet climate will take more water. NEVER USE 
OLD SOIL OVER AGAIN. Some recommend. peat moss. We do not use 
it for any but tropicals and then very sparingly as it has a tendency to hold 
water and one knows water will give a plant root-rot. We do recommend a 
little charcoal to sweeten the soil and some cacti will do well when a very 
little sulphur is sprinkled in but be very careful, using this in quantity is 
dangerous to most plants. 
Transplanting plants is very important because here is where over half of 
one’s troubles start. When a shipment of plants are received, place them sub- 
merged in lukewarm water for half an hour then dry them in the shade. 
Examine the roots of each plant creafully for bruises or disease. Cut these 
roots off and if the disease goes up into the plant, cut it all away. This 
seems severe but it is not. In fact, it is the only way to save the plant. Of 
course, if the plant is cut, it must be treated as a cutting before it is planted 
or it will rot. Do not plant the cactus too deeply. This will rot the plant 
also. Plant the roots straight down in the soil. They will spread of their 
own accord and if the plant falls cver because the roots are too short, place 
sticks around the plant to hold it upright until the roots are strong enough 
to keep the plant in place. This may not lock well but it is better than 
killing the plant by planting it too deep. 
GROWING CACTI FROM CUTTINGS 
Growing cacti from cuttings is a very quick way to get new plants. First, 
have a very sharp knife so as not to tear the plant. When removing the cutting, 
try to cut it with one stroke and only in one direction. Then rub the cut 
part with air-slacked lime and place in a flat with the cut part up to the sun 
for about two weeks, this allows the cut part to sear over. The cutting may 
then be planted in builder’s sand until it roots and then placed in the soil 
best suited to that particular plant. A cutting of Acanthocereus pentagonus 
(21) which had lain under a bench for seven weeks grew roots over six 
inches long in less than a month. We had a cutting of a Cephalocereus senilis 
that took over two years to root but some Opuntias will root in three days. 
We have never tried the chemical rooting compounds. 

32 The writer planting an Echinopsis. 35 Greenhouse No. 5.. 
33 South American Cacti. 36 Mexican plants under lathhouse. 
34 Sixtyfive Echinopsis blooms. 

