the young seedling which was to be permanent.  The seedlings of these two genera serve as an illustration of the process of germination from seed of all the Cactuses; and it must be evident that there is much that is singular and full of interest in raising these plants from seeds.  As soon as the seedlings are large enough to be handled, they may be planted separately in small pots, using a compost similar to, but slightly coarser than, that in which the seeds were sown.  The soil should be kept moist till the summer is over; and after that, till the return of warm sunny weather, it will be found safest to keep the seedlings on the dry side, a little water only to be given at intervals of a week, and only when the sun is shining upon the plants.

To obtain seeds from cultivated plants, it is necessary, in order to insure fertilisation that the top of the stigma (see Fig. 2) should be dusted over with the dust-like pollen from the anthers.  This may be done by means of a small camel-hair brush, which should be moistened in the mouth and then pushed among the anthers till covered with pollen, which may then be gently rubbed on to the stigma.  A warm, sunny morning is the most suitable time for this operation, as fertilisation takes place much more readily under the influence of bright sunshine than at any other time.  Some of the kinds have their floral organs so arranged as to be capable of self-fertilisation; still, it is always as well to give them some assistance.  The night-flowering species must, of course, be fertilised either at night or very early in the morning.  By using the pollen from one kind for dusting on to the stigma of another, hybrids may be obtained, and it is owing to the readiness with which the plants of this family cross with each other, that so many hybrids and forms of the genera Epiphyllum and Phyllocactus have been raised.  It would be useless to attempt such a cross as Epiphyllum with Cereus giganteus, because of their widely different natures; but such crosses as Epiphyllum with Phyllocactus, and Cereus flagelliformis with C. speciosissimus, have been brought about.  To an enthusiast, the whole order offers a very good field for operations with a view to the production of new sorts, as the different kinds cross freely with each other, and the beautiful colours of the flowers would most likely combine so as to present some new and distinct varieties.

Cuttings.—­No plants are more readily increased from stem-cuttings than Cactuses; for, be the cutting 20 ft. high, or only as large as a thimble, it strikes root readily if placed in a warm temperature and kept slightly moist.  We have already seen how, even in the dry atmosphere of a museum, a stem of Cereus, instead of perishing, emitted roots and remained healthy for a considerable time, and it would be easy to add to this numerous other instances of the remarkable tenacity of life possessed by these plants.  At Kew, it is the common practice, when the large-growing