THE GROWING OF CACTI 
1 fee beginner in any field of endeavor is always at sea for until he has had some 
experience he has few points of reference. When he reads instructions he is liable 
to be quite annoyed at the author because of the generalness of the information. Just 
what does he mean by “‘moderate watering’? The author in turn is at a loss when he 
is asked, “‘How many ounces of water shall | give an Echinopsis and how often?” 
| have tried to explain what the result should be and the method we use to attain it 
and to explain the factors that you may meet with that influence the attainment. 
_If one understands fundamentals, methods are less important and specific instructions 
even less so. 
POTTING SOILS 
F YOU are just growing a few cacti 
[ee succulents in ornamental dishes you 
may pot them up in almost any local soil. 
If they are not overwatered they will do 
quite well. Often you can buy a peck of 
potting soi! from your local nurseryman. 
He generally will have quite suitable 
soils. The following remarks apply only 
to the serious grower and collector and 
the beginner may well overlook them. 
In mixing a cactus soil the principal 
aim should be to compose one through 
which water percolates reasonably fast. 
If after watering the water stands a few 
minutes before sinking in you may know 
it is considerably too ‘“‘sticky’’. Sandy 
loam as a base is preferable. However in 
many parts of our country clay loams are 
predominant. Clay soils are composed of 
very fine particles and for best results 
should be loosened up with coarse sand 
and leafmold put through a Y%4” or 2” 
screen. Many growers are under the im- 
pression that good potting soils must be 
put through a fine screen but this is the 
opposite of the truth. Various things 
are used to break up sticky soils: Vermi- 
culite, spongerock, brown peat moss are 
a few. They can be used successfully but 
my own preference is for leafmold, char- 
coal and coarse sand. Leafmolds vary 
greatly of course, depending upon the 
kinds of leaves used, The best leafmolds 
are from evergreen trees and shrubs, not 
conifers. Our sclerophyllous, western vege- 
tation produces a very good quality of 
leafmold that does not break down too 
quickly. 
The use of lime in the compost is rec- 
ommended in regions of heavy rainfall. 
In dry regions it is not too important. 
Wet-country soils are liable to be on 
the acid side. Cacti 
not too particular but seem to thrive best 
where the P. H. is not too low. A neutral 
or slightly alkaline soil seems to suit most 
species. Lime may be added as crushed 
oyster shells, washed eggshells or lime- 
stone chips. If we think soils are too acid 
we use hydrated lime in very small quan- 
tities. 
The epiphytic cacti and many others 
will tolerate a slightly acid soil. A good 
rule of thumb is that those cacti which 
and succulents are 
have very strong, heavy spines or white 
spines are partial to a little lime. Also 
those with very hard, horny tubercles 
or ribs. All of these plants are found in 
quite dry and generally hot regions and 
the soils are not leached by heavy rains. 
Also these plants like a sandier compost 
and are less tolerant of overwatering. 
An average good cactus soil may be 
made up as follows: 1 part loam, 1 part 
STENOCACTUS 
The Stenocacti are all very interesting and often 
handsome cacti. Their distinguishing characteristic is 
the great number of thin, narrow ribs. The flowers are 
all quite pretty and they bloom with great freedom 
in early spring. See page 18. 
coarse sand, | part leafmold. If your loam 
is sticky add more sand. If the leafmold 
is blackish and powdery when dry, add 
more sand. A half part granulated char- 
coal is often helpful. If you want an alka- 
line soil add a handful of oystershells or 
limestone chips. 
| have found that nursery raised plants 
do quite well in such a soil. Wild collect- 
ed or imported Mexican plants often do 
much better in 2 parts coarse sand, | part 
leafmold with a scattering of charcoal. 
They will thrive in this for years. Such 
plants as Mexican Living Rock (Ario- 
carpus), Sand Dollar (Astrophytum) , Pel- 
ecyphora, etc., like this treatment. 
HOW TO POT CACTI 
AND SUCCULENTS 
First select a pot of the right size. If the 
plant is of the ball type and under six in- 
ches in diameter use a pot just a little 
Continued on page 48 
3 
GROWING YARD 
Larger plants are 
grown 
Draven tat S samme (Gis Koll ease 
boxes) outdoors where they may receive the full bene- 
fit of direct sunlight under conditions which approxi- 
mate culturally their native environment. 
INDEX 
Acanthocalycium ...,15 
Acanthocereus .......... ZALL 
Adromischus 
Agave 
Agnirictus 
Aloe 
Aloinopsis ...........-...- 
Anacampseros 
Ancistrocactus 
Arequipa s 
ANT OCA reece ets ene 
Argyroderma ...... 38-44 
Ariocarpus ....10-11-3-6 
Armatocereus 
Arthrocereus 
Astrophytum ... 
AZztekiiin eee 
Azureocereus .... 
Bergerocactus iy 
Binghamia 22... 
Borzicactus .... 
Bowiea .......... 
Browningia .....- 
Bryophyllum ............ 
Bulbine= = 
Cattiste ee 
Caralluma 
Cephalocereus -.21 
Cereus: 4.2222 22-4-6-8-9 
Denmoza 
Disocactus 30 
Dolichothele ............ 6-9 
Dudleyayee ee 43 
Duyaliayee . 
Echeyeria ...... aS 
Echidnopsis ..... ...44 
Echinocactus ... 
Echinocereus ... 
Echinomastus * 
Echinopsis) #- 12 
Encephalocarpus ...... 19 
Epiphyllanthus ........ pul 
Epiphyllopsis 
Epiphyllum 
Erdisia 
Eriocereus 
CtOSy CG pat ene 
Erythrorhipsalis ...... Sil 
Escobaria 6 
Escontria 
Espostoa 
Eulychnia ... oe 
Euphorbia .............-.- 45 
[RahbrerWestil ) Seaeceeees ai 
Fenestraria .... = 
Ferocactus .... 
Brithiase 
'Gasteria ..........- 
Glottiphyllum .......... 45 
Graptopetalum ........ 43 
Gymnanthocereus 23-7 
Gymnocactus ....-....... 15 
Gymnocalycium ...... 14 
Haageocereus .......... 24 
Hamatocactus .........-. 15 
Hatioran poe ee Bl 
Haworthia .......... 40-3-5 
Hoodiopsis ...............- 44 
Hoya thee tere 37-43 
Jesh gevel oe 43-44 
Huerniopsis ............. 44 
Hylocereus .... 
Nslayange. oe pee. ee ee 
Kalanchoe .... 
Kleinia ...... 
Lapidaria 
Lemaireocereus 20-25 
Lepismium ................ 31 
Leuchtenbergia ....11-9 
Withops peers es 38-40 
Lobetraw te ee 35 
Lobiviay 16 
Lophcoerreus .......... 25-8 
ophophotaes-. 12 
Loxanthocereus ....24-9 
Machaerocereus 
Maithuenia .........-...... 47 
Malacocarpus 
Maton a1 eee 5 
Maritinocereus 
IMatuCanaeee ne 15 
Mediocactus .......-.....- 26 
Mediolobiyia ............ 19 
Melocactus .....-.........- 153 
TMi GG Ve ae ee ak ol De 15 
Monvillea .............. 25-9 
Morawetzia ............-- 24 
Myrtillocactus ....20-27 
Neolloydia 
Neoporteria ........ 11-15 
Neoraimondia .......... Df 
Nopalxochia 
Nopalea ..........-. 
Notocactus ..... 
Nyctocereus ... 
Obregonia 
Ophthalmophyllum 37 
Opuntia 46 
Oreocereus .. ~d 
Qroya = eee 
Pachycereus. ........ 21-29 
Pachyphytum ...... 40-41 
Pachyveria 
Parodia 
Pectinaria ye 
Pedilanthus ... 
Pelecyphora 
Peperomia ..... 
Pereskia ............ 
Peruyocereus 
Piaranthus 
Pleiospilos J. 
Portia é 
Portulacaria 
Psuedoespostoa 
Psuedorhipsalis ........ 30 
Puya 3 
Pyrrhocactus . 
Quiabentia ..... 
Rathbunia 
Rebutiaye 
ROT ae lid eee 
Rochéa\ 24s 2, 
Schlumbergera \....... 31 
Sedunige-ee a 37-9-43 
Selenicereus .............. 
Semperyiyum .... 
Senecio ........... 
Seticereus 
Setiechinopsis .. 
Solisiageees ta 
S pegazzinia 
Stapelia 
Stapelianthus 
Stenocactus ............ 
Strombocactus 
Synadenium 
Tacinga 
Tephrocactus .... 
Thelocactus 
Thrixanthocereus ....28 
Aitanopsis) eee 42 
(iradescantiay ee 
Trichocereus ...... 
Trichodiadema 
Weberocereus 
Weingartia _............. 
Werckleocereus 
Wialmatted 2 25 
ZY SOCACTUS ee 35 
