Few people have any idea of the great pleasure to be derived from the culture of the hardy and half-hardy species of cactuses, of which there are numbers of marked forms in the southwest and Mexico. Many are entirely hardy here in Pennsylvania, but most are best kept just free from frost under protection during the winter. Their varied forms always give pleasure, but most of them have very beautiful flowers, and the watching for these is almost as enjoyable as the actual realization of their beauty. Though the flowering of such species seldom lasts more than a week, the different species come in succession, so that in a not very large collection some are open throughout the whole year. Last fall we received one for name through the mail, from Mr. A. L. Siler, of Hillsdale, Utah, who makes a specialty of collecting them. To-day, March 6th, it has its beautiful purple blossoms open in a cool greenhouse, and proves to be Echinocactus Whipplei. Next week Echinocactus polyancis-trus, from the same collector, will be open. The following week Echinocactus Uncinnatus, sent us by Vasey, from New Mexico, will about be open, so that these three species alone give us flowers to admire extending over nearly a month.

The mail is a cheap way of sending specimens to the editor, who is glad to name these cactuses for friends when he can. In packing, a tin can or cigar box is best, as the spines, pushed back into the plant, cause rotting.