Planting Cactus

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Planting Cactus

Cactus plants,which include the fascinating bizarre cacti, areto be considered as the most specialized of allplant groups. Since they live chiefly in areastypically hot and dry they assume fantasticforms which enable them to survive in suchregions of adverse conditions. The grotesquegrowths tend to conserve water and reducetranspiration. In the case of the cacti, leaves aredispensed with almost entirely and the stemstake over the functions which the leaves on non-succulent plants perform. In the mimicry plants(stemless mesembryanthemums) the leaves haveentirely lost their semblance and appear aschubby, squat conical-to-spherical plant-bodies.

The root systems of succulent plants arehardly extensive or penetrate the soil verydeeply. Usually they lie just below the soilsurface which enables them to make quick use ofany moisture that may come their way. Thusthe plants arc able to store water in specialtissues and rely on it when water is scarce. Forthis reason, they are known as "succulents"which literally means "juicy plants."

Since succulents have learned to adapt them-selves so nicely to adverse conditions we canreadily see why they make such good houseplants. Where other plants fail in the hot dryatmosphere of our living rooms, the succulentsusually succeed and impart a bit of greenery theyear round. People often kill succulents bykindness when they pamper them too much.However, it is wrong to believe that succulentsneed no attention whatsoever.

Succulents are numbered in at least 2odifferent plant families. There are hundreds tochoose from in all imaginable shapes andforms. If only a windowsill is available it can beutilized and made attractive with these plants.It is to be remembered that succulents requirelots of light; if grown in the absence of it, theplants will exhibit scrawny etiolated growthwhich will be more readily subject to insectattacks and plant diseases. Sun porches affordmore room where more elaborate set-ups orstagings can be maintained. However, if one canafford a greenhouse, no matter how small,succulents can be grown to perfection withouttoo much fuss.

A fact to remember is to choose the con-tainer best suited for use in the home, if that

is the only available location. Succulents lookvery attractive in glazed pottery, but care inwatering must be exercised since such containersdo not dry out as fast as ordinary flower pots.Small pots can be set in a large tray or metalbox filled with sand, gravel or sphagnum moss,and kept moist. Frequent repotting is notnecessary.

Where space is at a premium more satisfac-tion will be derived if the grower concentrateson a few individual groups than on a generalcollection.

Propagation

Succulents usually can be propagated fromseed, offsets and cuttings, and by grafting. It istrue that growing them from seed will requirepatience, especially in the case of slow-growingcacti, but on the whole many succulents willproduce good growth quickly. All you need isa flower pot or seed flat (a cigar box will do),a piece of glass for cover, good porous soil, anda package of fresh seed. Seeds may be sown anytime in the year if high temperatures can bemaintained, as in greenhouses, but perhaps inthe average home seed-sowing should be carriedon in spring and summer. A uniform tempera-ture of 70° F. should be provided and the seedpans placed in a window with a southern ex-posure, where light is always available. The soilin the seed containers must never be allowed todry out, and seed must not be planted deep—just barely covered with sand or fine gravel.Water can be applied with a fine syringe or inthe case of pots, the pots watered from belowby placing them in a pan of water. Generally aglass cover is placed over the box or pot to aidin conserving moisture and heat, but the glassshould be painted to shade the seedlings as theyappear and gradually removed so that seedlingswill get accustomed to the light. Supply ventila-tion to the seedlings by raising the glass coveroccasionally so that damping-off does not occur.Seedlings need not be transplanted until theyhave become large enough or when they beginto crowd each other.

Most succulents can be multiplied by off-shoots which usually appear at the base of themother plant or anywhere along the stems.Cuttings can be made almost anywhere—fromtips, lateral branches, from leaves, and in manycases just tiny fragments of portions of stemssuch as ribs and tubercles of cacti. Cuttingsgenerally root easily and produce a mature plantmore quickly than seedlings. When makingcuttings, use a clean sharp knife or razor blade.Heal the cutting in a dry, shaded place until askin or callus is formed; the time will vary withthe species from one week to a month or more,depending on the size of the cut. The wider the cut the longer will it require to heal over. Cut-tings can be rooted in a mixture of sand andsoil but more preferably in pure sand or vermi-culite, and as soon as roots form the rootedplants can be planted in the regular way. As aprecaution, do not keep the rooting mediumtoo wet from the beginning as rot may set in andspoil your effort. In that case, the cutting willhave to be cut back to healthy tissue andcalloused over.

Cacti and spurges are usually grafted in orderto speed maturity of these plants. There areother reasons, too, such as to save a plant whenonly a small piece is available which would noteasily make a cutting, or to develop moredecorative and bushy plants, and to raisevarieties that are considered difficult to grow ontheir own root. Still another reason is topreserve abnormal forms such as crests andmonstrosities which are greatly sought byconnoisseurs.

Although it is possible to graft other succu-lents besides the cacti, like spurges and stapcli-ads, there is really no point gained. Beforeattempting grafting remember that only relatedplants can be grafted. A Spurge cannot begrafted onto a Cactus or vice-versa—onlyspecies within their respective families.

There are 3 kinds of grafts commonlyemployed—the cleft, the flat and the side. Allthin-stemmed plants are suitable for cleft-grafting while the thick and globose typesrequire a flat graft. The side-graft is usuallyemployed on thin-stemmed plants although itcan be used with success on the chubby kindstoo. In cleft-grafting the stock (the rooted plantupon which the scion will be placed) is cut backto a desired height, depending on what effect isdesired for the plant later on. The ChristmasCactus, which bears pendent stems, naturallywould look more effective grafted on a stockat least 6-12 in. tall. A slit is made at the topof the stock about an inch deep. The stem ofthe scion is then cut on 2 sides to form a wedgeand inserted into the split of the stock. Firmthe graft into the desired position and run acactus spine or two through the united portions;then wrap some cord or raffia around the graft,just taut enough to hold the scion in place butnot so tight as to cut into the stock.

In the flat graft, both scion and stock shouldbe of approximately the same width at theintended union. After selecting the 2 plants,make a smooth transverse cut on each specimenand then place the scion on the severed stock,pressing the 2 flat surfaces firmly together. Thescion can be held in place with 2 large-sizedbands or string run over the top of the scion andunderneath the flower pot, or by the use offlexible wire bent in "U" shape.

The side graft requires no special operation •beyond slicing one side of both scion and stockand holding the 2 joints in place. When graftingoperations are completed, set the plants in awarm shaded place so that the cut surfaces willnot dry out too rapidly, preventing perfectunions. Inspect all grafts regularly each day tonote whether union has formed properly. Aftergrafted plants have become established onlynormal care is necessary.

Cacti

The most popular members of the CactusFamily are the mammillarias, better known as"pincushion" or "nipple" cacti. They aremostly small globular to cylindrical plant-bodiescovered with nipplelike tubercles with clustersof spines on their tips where the areoles appear.The small bell-shaped flowers appear as a crownon top of the plant and in some species a circleof colorful scarlet-to-crimson fruits will developsimultaneously. There are over 30o differentkinds described and every one is a gem, but themost popular are those which bear colorfuldescriptive names such as the Old Lady,Powder Puff, Birdncst, Feather Ball, LadyFingers, Thimble, Snowball, Fishhook andGolden Stars. They can be readily supplied byCalif. nurserymen who grow them by thethousands. The Old Lady, botanically Mamil-laria hahniatza, is covered with long gray hairs;the Power Puff, M. bocasana, likewise has finer,white silky hairs which serve as a veil for theshort, brown-hooked central spines beneath thecamouflage; the Birdnest, M. camptotricha,bears conspicuous long nipples and slender,yellowish twisting spines; the Feather Ball, M.phimosa, grows in clusters of small individualheads completely covered with inoffensivefeathery spines; the Lady Fingers, M. elongata,is a slender cylindrical form composed ofseveral fingerlike green stems covered withslender yellow spines; the Thimble, M. •agilis,produces many small thimblelike babies at thetop of a mature plant; the Snowball, M. candida,is an exquisite pincushion of snowy white; theFishhook, M. tetracistra, is one of the manypincushion cacti with hooked central spines;and the Golden Stars, M. elongata var. stella-aurata, has every nipple tipped with a shininggolden star. You cannot go wrong with themammillarias—they are often referred to as the"darlings of the whole Cactus Family."

Near relatives of the mammillarias are thecoryphanthas, which are so strikingly similar tothe former that the average indoor gardener andeven a professional will have difficulty in tellingthem apart. On the whole, all coryphanthashave larger and showier flowers which are bornefrom the base of the young and growing tubercles near the tops of the plants. There is also a dis-tinguishing groove which appears on the upperside of each nipple in a fully matured plant.There are over 6o species of Coryphantha andthe commonest one in the United States is C.viripara. It has been reported wild from at leasta dozen states, all west of the Mississippi.

The Tom Thumb cacti—rebutias from SouthAmerica—make excellent house plants and areregarded as free bloomers, the fairly largeflowers issuing from plants no bigger than a25-cent piece. Close allies to them are thelobivias which generally are also small, althougha few species become quite robust.

Gymnocalyciun2 species and varieties aredistinct globose cacti with ribs divided intotubercles or "chins" which give them thepopular name "Chin Cactus". For the mostpart they are small, very floriferous plants anddo well in the window. The Astrophytutn species,among which is the well-known Bishop Cap,are mostly spineless cacti which produce aprofusion of silky yellow blossoms over a longperiod. There are hundreds of other small-typecacti that make excellent pot plants or suitablesubjects for the dish garden, desertarium ornovelty container. If, however, the grower hasa preference for hairy and woolly kinds thatgrow slenderly cylindrical, these can be had invariety also.

The Old Man, Cephalocereus senilis, is aMexican form which produces a matted beardat a rather tender age and it is quite easily grownfrom seed. There is also a counterpart found in

Peru, Oreocereus celsianus, which develops long,silky white hairs. It grows much slower thanthe Mexican cactus but it ought to be a "must"in every collection of cactus plants. Even morehandsome is Espostoa Janata covered with whitecottony hairs. A Cactus with long hairlikegolden-yellow spines, Notocactus leninghausii, isa great favorite with all cactus growers.

Among the Cereus and its allied representa-tives there are many easily grown species whichpresent fluted columns. They add height to acollection. In their native habitats these oftengrow into massive trees, with or withoutinnumerable branches. Most of the group do Gymnocalyciun2 species and varieties aredistinct globose cacti with ribs divided intotubercles or "chins" which give them thepopular name "Chin Cactus". For the mostpart they are small, very floriferous plants anddo well in the window. The Astrophytutn species,among which is the well-known Bishop Cap,are mostly spineless cacti which produce aprofusion of silky yellow blossoms over a longperiod. There are hundreds of other small-typecacti that make excellent pot plants or suitablesubjects for the dish garden, desertarium ornovelty container. If, however, the grower hasa preference for hairy and woolly kinds thatgrow slenderly cylindrical, these can be had invariety also.

The Old Man, Cephalocereus senilis, is aMexican form which produces a matted beardat a rather tender age and it is quite easily grownfrom seed. There is also a counterpart found in

Schlumbergera truncata as well as S. bridges*and Aporocactus flagelliformis are winterbloomers. The produce reddish to crimsonflowers of nearly similar structure. The plantsare so well known that they need no furtherdescription. Other winter bloomers include theHatiora and Rhipsalis species, both epiphytic ontrees in their native home, but thriving exceed-ingly well in soil also. Hatiora salicornioides is afreely branching plant with short clublikebranchlets growing one upon the other. It bearssalmon-colored blossoms. There are more than5o varieties of .Rhipsalis, mostly with slendercylindrical branches and tiny elegant blossomsfollowed by white, mistletoelike fruits.

There are a number of other free-floweringcacti, but space will not permit naming all. Mostof those already mentioned are suitable forwindow culture; however if space permits larger plants in the home, the beginner should notoverlook the epiphyllums, the most gorgeous-flowered of all cacti, their blossoms comprisingrainbow hues of nearly every description.

The amateur cactus fan, but even more so thespecialist, can get great satisfaction by collectingmimicry cacti or any of the other odd, bizarreforms. Among the interesting mimics is theTotem Pole, Lophocereus schottii var. monstro-sus, a curious spineless form which resembles aknobby column of green jade. Roseocactus is agenus of curious plants composed of triangularstonelike tubercles. The best known is R.fissuratus, aptly called "Living Rock." Of equalimportance is the small Mexican, B. kotschou-beyanus, which in 1840 sold for $200. Theseliving rocks are dull gray to brown in color andgrow on dry stony ground where they can beeasily mistaken for the rocks which surroundthem. One of the curiosities of the cactus worldis the Dumpling Cactus, Lophophora a smooth spineless plant of dumplingliketexture. It is a sacred plant of the Indians, usedin religious rites.

Succulent Spurges

The succulent spurges bear a superficialresemblance to cacti and are often mistaken forthem. In fantastic forms of growth (exclusive ofcacti) they cannot be equalled by any othergroup of plants. The euphorbias, with theirgrotesque shapes, fill the place in Africa whichin America is supplied by the cacti. On theAfrican continent and in Madagascar thespurges form the characteristic feature of thelandscape. The stems of all the spurges containlatex tubes and when cut or bruised a copiousmilky juice exudes from the surface. This juiceis more or less toxic and will produce irritationof the skin unless washed off immediately. Thejuices of the cacti are usually watery and color-less, which often makes it easy to distinguishbetween the two groups. In addition, theflowers of the euphorbias are very insignificant,whereas cactus blossoms are often very largeand colorful.

The euphorbias are of very varied habit. Someare thorny, fleshy shrubs, others gigantic treeswith candelabriform branching, and still otherswith slender pencil-thick stems growing in tufts.There are also spherical plants and some withsubterranean stems from which a crown ofradiating branchlets arise.

On the whole spurges make excellent houseplants and grow rather easily. However, to growthem to perfection and a desirable height agreenhouse would be the logical place. Spurgesrequire a sunny position and a sandy nourishingsoil. In the growing season they can stand amplewatering; however in winter too much water

will rot the succulent stems. Propagation can becarried on by cuttings and seeds. Since the cutportion bleeds profusely it is advisable to dipthe cutting in powdered charcoal. As in the caseof cacti, cuttings must be fully hardened beforethey can be placed in a rooting medium.

There are over 300 species of succulentspurges and a good many of these arc availablein the trade, but only the more popular kindscan be dealt with here. The Cowhorn, Euphorbiagrandicornis, is one of the most unique withdeeply constricted segments of irregular shapepossessing winglike and wavy angles whichsupport an armor of stout spines. The common-est Spurge in cultivation is probably E. lacteawhich hails from the East Indies. Cuttings rootvery easily, and the plant makes an excellent potor tub specimen. Its 3-angled stems are faintlymarbled. It branches readily even as a smallplant and stimulates a symmetrical tree per-fectly. A crested form of this is sought by everysucculent plant-fancier because it resembles asculptured piece of art. Frilled Fan Spurge is anapt name.

Euphorbia cooperi is widely distributed incollections. Its branches are 5- or 6-angled andcomposed of segments which are inverted heart-shaped. E. ingens is a spiny succulent tree with4-angled branches. It is a rapid grower, as areall of the arborcscent types.

E. pseudocactus is a bushy branched plantmarked by curious broad yellowish-green V-shaped bands. Another distinctly marked plantis E. knobelii with more slender stems. Stillmore distinctive is the much slender-branchedE. griseola. The Blue Spurge, E. coerulescens,branches from the base forming compactbushes, and its stem habit is a peculiar shade ofblue-green. E. resinifera produces 4-angledascending pale gray-green stems in a compactform and should be included in every collec-tion.

There are a number of handsome sturdyspurges characterized by grayish-white, con-tinuous horny margins along the angles whichmake these plants very outstanding. Includedamong them are E. avasmontana, E. hottentota,E. venenata and E. volkmannae.

Some of the spurges which can be classed asoutstanding dwarf-curiosities because of theirwhimsical growth are Euphorbia globosa, E.ornithopus, E. susannae, E. pseudo-globosa,E. obesa, E. meloformis, E. valida, E. sub-matnmillaris, E. Jerox, E. stellaespina, E.stellata, E. squarrosa and E. caput-medusae.Probably the most remarkable plant amongthese is E. obesa, an oddly rotund dumplingwhich has been likened to a living baseball orsmall rugby football.

A Spurge that forms a rather large tree and is composed of cylindric branches and branchletsremindful of a Rhipsalis is Euphorbia tirucalli.In semi-tropical countries it is often cultivatedas a hedge plant. It is also one of the fish-poison trees. When branches are macerated andplaced in a stream the juice will stupefy fish,thus enabling fishermen to catch them easily.E. mauritanica is another spineless succulentshrub, densely branched and bearing transientleaves on the youngest branches only. Acharming spineless Spurge is E. bubalina whichthrows out seeds readily and propagates itselfby this means.

There are many more desirable spurges whichcan be grown in the home and far more in thegreenhouse or out-of-doors in warmer regions.If you do a lot of flower arrangements it wouldbe worthwhile to include the Pedilanthus orSlipper Spurge in your collection. The zigzagstems of P. tithymaloides variegatus with theircolorful leaves are frequently used in arrange-ments. They are interesting for their in-florescences which resemble slippers and whichare often reddish in color.

Other Succulents

The Stapelia species, which belong to theMilkweed Family, are some of the most curiousmembers of the plant kingdom. They are dwarf,succulent, perennial herbs with thick and fleshystems and can be likened to miniature TorchCacti of the genus Cereus. The flowers arecurious and of great variety, most of thememitting a fetid odor like that of decaying meat,from whence the name Carrion Flower is de-rived. The odor of the flowers should not deterany plantsmen from acquiring these plants. Theflowers of some are very large, up to a foot india.; others are of moderate size and still othersvery tiny; some are beautifully mottled, othersspotted or striped with lurid colors. A few arecovered with silky hairs.

All stapeliads are easily propagated fromcuttings and they also germinate readily fromseed, some blooming within a year from time ofsowing. Give them plenty of sunlight. They canstand quite a bit of water in the summer butdiminish the supply in winter. The oldest andbest known species is Stapelia variegata, whichwas introduced into cultivation about the year1640. It possesses such great variability that atleast 24 varieties are enumerated. Besides thestapeliads there are closely allied genera includ-ing Carallunia, Duvalia, Edithcolea, Echidnopsis,Hoodia, Huernia, Huerniopsis, Piaranthus, Stape-lian thus and Tavaresia.

Ceropegia is a genus of peculiar, usuallytwining plants, native of the East Indies andSouth Africa. It is remarkable for its waxyflowers which are arranged in delicate umbels.

Curiously, Ceropegia also belongs to the Milk-weed Family. Most ceropegias are very strikingplants and lend themselves nicely for hangingbaskets or as ground covers in warm regions.Grow them in a mixture of fibrous loam, sandand leafmold. The most elegant member is theRosary Vine, C. woodii, which is admirablyadapted for hanging vases as its numerous stemshang gracefully down and are well furnishedwith small, somewhat heart-shaped, fleshy,silver-splotched leaves. It forms globose tubersin the axils on the stems. C. sandersonii is aplant of beauty and curiosity when in flower. Ithas very succulent leaves but its most remarkablefeature is the flower which looks like a miniaturegreenish parachute. C. stapeliaeformis producesrounded, glabrous, dark green stems markedwith soft spiniform projections. The flowersare quite showy, funnel shaped above withlobes standing apart.

One would hardly associate the Wax Plant,Hoya carnosa, with the milkweed clan, yet it is atrue milkweed. The Wax Plant is a twiner withstems up to to ft. or more long. It is best to growit on a small trellis or use it as a hanging-basketsubject. On well-established specimens hundredsof flowers bloom continuously during the springand summer months, and nothing could be morebeautiful than the decliate, pinkish waxy flowersagainst the background of dark green shinyleaves. The flowers, usually nearly t in. in dia.,are borne in pendulous umbels on short pe-duncles. The Wax Plant requires an abundanceof water during the growing and floweringperiod, but it is advisable to keep it in a dry andcool atmosphere during the winter. There isnow obtainable a highly variegated form whichis known in the trade as H. exotica.

Although there are more than 15o species of"Hen-and-Chicken" plants native to South-western United States and Mexico, many ofthem are still collectors' items. The popular nameis well earned because innumerable plantlets areproduced at the bases of the mother plants inmost of the species, and it is not difficult tovisualize a brood of vegetable chicks under asitting hen.

Botanically, the American Hen-and-chickenplants are known as species of Echeveria andDudleya. They are very striking succulentsnotable for their attractive clusters of leafrosettes in distinctive shades and tints, rangingfrom powder white to blue-green and from brightgreen to metallic hues. In size, they vary fromsmall rosettes about the size of a half dollar to alarge rosette as big as a dinner plate; some arelow-growing stemless forms, while othersassume short bushlike proportions. In Dudleyathe leaf bases clasp the stem for their full widthand are very persistent, remaining firmly attached

Cacti to the caudex even when dead; in Echeveriathe area of attachment is confined to a small"eye," and the leaves usually fall away uponwithering, or in some species become easilydetached upon the slightest disturbance. Newplants are produced from the leaves of eche-verias, sometimes very quickly, and this is themost popular method by which these plants arepropagated.

Echeverias are mostly Mexican, and 2 of themost charming and decorative for the home areE. carnicolor and E. pulvinata. Many others areattractive, but these are very easy to grow andtherefore are more commonly cultivated. Aslong as soil is well drained, "Hen-and-Chicken"plants should thrive in it. E. carnicolor is astemless plant with a flattened rosette of about20 leaves. The leaves are usually highly colored,possessing a metallic lustre. E. pulvinata ischaracterized by neat rosettes of velvety texturecrowning the dark brown stems. The leaves arecovered with silken hairs, their tips a rich darkred. Reddish-orange flowers appear on shortstiff stalks. Both are free bloomers, their bell-shaped flowers making their appearance in thewinter season. E. gibbiflora and its varietymetallica are robust specimens producing athick stem and large gray-green to metallic-bronze leaves. It is sometimes grown as anexhibition plant for greenhouse displays in thewinter. E. secunda var. glauca produces bluish-green saucer-shaped rosettes and is frequentlyemployed as a bedding plant in outdoor gardens.In warm sections, echeverias are grown outdoorsall year round.

Near relatives of the echeverias are the pachy-phytums with which group they often hybridize.The hybrid crosses are then known by the genericname Pachyveria. One of the best hybrids isPachyveria glauca which makes compactattractive rosettes. The leaves break off easilyand will grow rapidly into new plants.

The echeverias belong to the fascinatingStonecrop Family which includes the sedums,kalanchoids, houseleeks and other interestingcrassulaceous groups. Some of the most out-standing flowering members are numbered inthe kalanchoids which include the kalanchoesand bryophyllums, but even without flowers thefoliage is decorative. Bryophyllums are universalfavorites, growing with the greatest of ease andsometimes even become a nuisance becausemany of them reproduce viviparously, whichmeans that tiny plants sprout all along the serrat-ed margins of the leaves even while these arestill attached to the mother plant.

Bryophyllums are mostly natives of Madagas-car. They are robust growers, and the leaves ofsome varieties become highly colorful. The bestknown is B. pinnatum, whose leaves are often

sold in dime stores as good-luck charms. Theplant bears very fleshy leaves, bright green incolor, and large pannicles of flowers, lantern-like in appearance. It is commonly known as"Chandelier Plant". Bryophyllum daigremon-tianum, called Pagoda Plant because its leavesare arranged in pagoda style on the stem, hasthe ability to produce as many as too plantletsalong the margins of one leaf alone. B. tubi-forum is a striking erect plant with mottledtubular leaves. B. fedtschenkoi is anotherbeauty, a compact grower with gray-blueleaves turning a rich lilac when deprived ofwater and grown in full sun. Many botaniststoday prefer to relegate the name Bryophylluminto synonymy and its members into the oldergenus Kalanchoe. However, I feel that there areat least 2 outstanding characteristics whichdistinguish the 2 groups.

Possibly the finest kalanchoid from the stand-point of showiness is K. flammea. It is a bushyplant, about a foot high, with succulent greenleaves and flowers of brilliant scarlet, appearingin clusters as broad as a man's fist. K. bloss-feldiana is another fine bloomer and an excellentChristmas plant. It is smaller in every respectbut equally as attractive. Several outstandinghorticultural strains have evolved from it whichare grown on a large scale by nurserymen for thetrade. The Penwiper Plant, K. marmorata, is astout, low-branching shrub with pale gray-green ovate leaves that are conspicuouslyspeckled with purple spots, giving the plant amarbled effect. The most spectacular, however,is the Panda Plant, K. tomentosa. It bears plush-like gray-green leaves, the margins stained withrust-brown spots. The most robust grower is K.beharensis with large velvety leaves. If allowedto grow freely, it will get as big as a small tree,to to 12 ft. high. Confined to a pot it stays small.The thick triangular leaves are frequently usedin arrangements.

One of the best house plants is the Jade Plant,Crassula argentea, which also belongs to thestonecrops. It is a shrubby succulent withrubberlike thick trunk and branches andbright green shiny leaves. The flexible branchesroot upon reaching the ground, but whengrown in a hanging basket or as a potted planton a pedestal it becomes a picturesque array ofcontorted stems. There are over 200 otherspecies of crassulas in diversified plant forms,some forming small cushions, spherical rosettesor short slender columns. Some of these arerare novelties but others are well-known housesubjects that usually grow fast and propagateeasily from cuttings.

Among the goo or more described species ofSedum will be found many interesting formssuitable for pot culture. One of the loveliest is the Burro Tail, S. morganianum, which producespendulous tassels of silvery-gray pointed leaves.The Golden Sedum, S. adolphii, has thickish,pointed yellowish leaves which break cleanvery easily and start new plants from them. S.pachyphyllum is a recent discovery with thick,gray-green obovate leaves. It is bound tobecome a great favorite as it is one of therobust bushy types and fills out a pot verynicely.

The Fig-marigold Family, Aizoaceae, is oneof the richest in plant forms. It can be safelydivided into about 3 groups, 2 of them belong-ing in Mesembryanthemum which have the moststriking subjects, while the third group includ-ing Sesuviutn, Tetragonia, Trianthema, Mollugoand Glinus is insignificant. Mesembryantheniumcontains the shrubby and carpeting types,commonly known as California Moss or IcePlant, and the Mimic types among which theLiving Stone, Pebble Plant, Tiger Jaw andTongue Plant are included. The latter, especi-ally the stone mimics, are real curiosities,often stemless, and their leaves resemblebroken rock fragments so strikingly that they aredifficult to distinguish from the rocks amongwhich they grow. When I first put them onexhibition in the Missouri Botanical Garden theplants were literally "touched to death."Visitors could not realize they were real plants!

Most of the mimic mesembryanthemums areof dwarf nature and therefore many more potscan be accommodated in a windowsill or on agreenhouse bench than with the shrubby kinds.On the whole mesembryanthemums make butmodest demands upon the connoisseur ofbizarre things. A sunny location is a primarycondition and of equal importance is the soil inwhich they are to be grown. It should be lightand well drained. Gravel and broken fragmentsof limestone and other rocks should be placedaround the plants as a precaution against rotdiseases which often set in when the succulentbodies come in contact with the wet soil. Thegolden rule in watering is "rather less than toomuch" and avoid applying water on coolcloudy days or when the sun's rays are directly onthe plants. Mimic mesembryanthemumsrequire shallow pots like seed pans, but theshrubby kinds can have deeper containers, andwill also stand more water.

There is a long list of South African mimics tochoose from, belonging to such genera asArgyroderma, Conophytum, Glottiphyllum,Lithops, Pleiospilos, Titanopsis, Faucaria,Fenestraria, Opthalmophy/lum and a dozenothers. They are so utterly fascinating andpopular that their descriptive names are so aptthat we can call them Silver Skin, Cone Plant,Tongue Plant, Stone Face, Rock Plant, Lime-

stone Mimic, Tiger Jaw, Baby Toe, and WindowPlant. On the other hand the shrubby andtrailing kinds like Aptenia, Aridaria, Delosperma,Lampranthus, Mesembryanthetnutn, Ruschia andTrichodiadema are very suitable for hangingbaskets or pedestals as their lovely stems droprhythmically over the pots.

Finally I must mention the Lily Familywhich contains a number of surprises for thegrower. Among these we find the haworthias,which have earned the title "Darlings of thesucculent plant world." For the most part theyare stemless plants, or when they have stems,these are slightly elongated and completelycovered with short fleshy leaves. The plantsseldom exceed 6-8 in. in height and the rosettesmeasure 2-6 in. in dia. Most of the haworthiasare shade-loving plants but this does not meanthat light is entirely to be denied them. In theirnative African home haworthias conceal them-selves under shrubs and are often difficult tolocate since some of them look like small birds'nests; others even simulate small cobwebs, andthe transparent species frequently draw them-selves into the ground, only the pellucid leafportions being exposed to view. There aremore than too species and varieties known toexist.

All the haworthias are very useful and effectivefor pot culture. As with all succulents, efficientdrainage is necessary at all times. Such species asHaworthia arachnoides, H. truncata and H.cymbiformis representing the light green,transparent types, will require a more poroussoil and less water than the dark green, mottledor unspotted species like H. margaritifera, H.fasciata, H. lirnifolia and H. reinwardtii. Watersparingly in the dull wintry season and resort tothe immersion method for best results. Neverallow drops of water to remain for long in thecrowns of the delicate bloated species like H.turgida, H. planifolia and H. denticulata, toprevent rot or burn.

One nice feature of haworthias is that theymultiply readily by means of offsets and stolons.A single plant will fill up a pot with plantlets in afew months. Haworthias also propagate fromwhole leaves and in many cases new plants ariseviviparously on the flower stalks. H. fasciataand H. margaritifera with their varieties ought tobe included in every collection. Both are verybeautiful species marked by prominent tuberclesthat converge into horizontal bands on theunderside of the leaves or by prominent pearl-like warts on the outside as well as inside of theleaves giving the plants an exceptionally strik-ing appearance. Another precious gem is H.litmfolia which resembles a carved piece ofstone or wrought-iron ornamentation. Nomatter what haworthia falls into the hands of plant collectors it is bound to intrigue. Re-member, too, that they can be used in dishgardens, as novelties and in other shallowcontainers as the root system is not too extensive.

Gastcrias are very close relatives of thehaworthias. Usually they are more robust plantswith 2-ranked leaves spreading out like a fan,but some assume rosettes and can also bedwarfs. They prefer a semi-shaded location andthrive exceedingly well in a sandy leaf-mold soilmixture with moderate waterings. Some of thespecies like Gasteria tnaculata are spotted withwhite which makes them very attractive.

No home, no greenhouse or tropic gardenshould be without an aloe or two. Aloes aredesert lilies with very succulent leaves arrangedin rosette fashion. They look like the commonCentury Plant or agave except that their leavesare full of gelatinous substance which is highlymedicinal. The juice of 4 or 5 species has beenused in laxatives and the juice of one Aloe verais an excellent remedy for any kind of a burn.Housewives should include an aloe plant in theirkitchen just in case someone gets burned work-ing around the stove. All one need to do is tocut off a piece of the leaf and apply the jelly tothe burn.

There are all kinds of aloes—dwarf, mediumsized and treelike. The leaves of many arespotted, mottled or striped. An old favorite isthe handsome dwarf Partridge Breast, Aloevariegata, whose leaves are arranged in tri-angular fashion. They are dark green marginedand marbled with white. A. nobilis is anothersmall growing species punctuated with goldenspines along the leaf margins. No matter whataloe is grown it is sure to please. The leavesoften twist and curve which makes them idealfor flower arrangement work.

As is to be seen from this discourse there arethousands of succulents in existence, many of which make excellent house plants and are soeasy to care for in the dry air of our livingrooms.

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