The expression which a landscape gardener gives to any piece of ground on which he works should be one that is appropriate to the climate and in harmony with the effects which nature has already produced about him. In this region we find but one cactus - the prickly pear. This is an insignificant plant that grows on sand dunes where the soil is so poor that it is only partially covered with vegetation. It is more curious than beautiful. If we come across a specimen, we experience the pleasure that one is apt to feel when he finds a curiosity, but not the pleasure we derive from looking at a beautiful shrub or flower. The prickly pear has an attractive blossom, but if one touches the plant he will probably regret it constantly for some time afterward, on account of the little spines that stick in his fingers. If this plant is used at all in pleasure grounds of the northern states, it should be placed where it will be discovered as if by accident. It would be quite suitable for a sandy knoll or a bit of rock work, where it will feel at home and not be crowded out by other plants.

There are other kinds of cactuses that make very ornamental plants for the conservatory, and at certain seasons of the year these might be used about the house for out-of-door decoration, but we should not attempt to use them to give character to our landscapes. - O. C. Simonds, Chicago.