imilar to that of other dwarfer species, whilst, so far
as is known, its flowers have not been produced under cultivation. It
grows very slowly, a plant 6 in. high being eight or ten years old, so
that, to attain its full development, a very long time indeed is
necessary. When young, the stems are globose, afterwards becoming
club-shaped or cylindrical. It flowers at the height of 10 ft. or 12 ft.,
but grows up to four or five times that height, when it develops lateral
branches, which curve upwards, and present the appearance of immense
candelabra. The flowers are 4 in. or 5 in. long, and about the same in
diameter. There is a small specimen, about 3 ft. high, in the succulent
collection at Kew. The appearance of a number of tall specimens of this
wonderful Cactus, when seen towering high above the rocks and scrub with
which it is associated, is described by travellers as being both weird
and grand. Judging by the slowness of its growth, the prospect of seeing
full-sized specimens of this species in English gardens is a very remote
one, unless full-grown stems are imported, and this is hardly possible.
Native of Mexico and California.

[Illustration: FIG. 22.--FLOWER OF CEREUS GIGANTEUS.]

C. Leeanus (Lee's); Bot. Mag. 4417.--A dwarf plant, the stems not more
than 1 ft. in height, and about 5 in. in diameter at the base, tapering
gradually towards the top, so that it forms a cone; the furrows number
about a dozen, and the ridges are 1/2 in. high, the angles sharp, and
clothed with clusters of pale brown spines, the central one 1 in. long,
the others much shorter. The flowers are produced on the top of the
stem, four or five together, and are large, handsome, brick-red in
colour, the tube 2 in. long, clothed with yellowish, green-tipped scales,
and little clusters of hair-like bristles. The arrangement of the
petals, and the cluster of yellow anthers in the centre, give the
flowers the appearance of Camellias, if looked at from above. Introduced
from Mexico by Mr. Lee, of Hammersmith, in 1848, and flowered soon
afterwards at Kew, in summer. Being a native of the higher, more
northerly regions of Mexico, this species needs only to be protected
from severe frosts; it has been known to bear a little frost without
injury. For windows and greenhouses it is a very desirable plant.

C. leptacanthus (slender-spined); Fig. 23.--One of the most beautiful
of all Cactuses, and one of the easiest to cultivate, the only drawback
be