Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-09-19

BURBANK NOT
ONL Y WIZARD
LOS ANGELES MAN RAISES SPINE
LESS CACTUS
HAS GROWN 1T FIVE YEARS sUc-
cEssFULLY
Grows Desert Plants for Amusement.
Has $50 Varieties In Addition
to the Plant That Has
No Thorns

Los Angeles has a plant wizard of its
own Before Luther Burbank announced
at the irrigation congress that he had
solved the secret of growing spineless
cactus, w. w. Robinson, III South Olive
street, was successfully propagating the
desert plant without spines His cactus
Is said by experts to be as valuable COM
mercially as that grown by the Santa
Rosa wizard. 1t has large leaf and Is
full of meat and succulent.
He has grown this variety of spineless
cactus five years, more for amusement
than because he planned to put it to prac-
tical use.
Mr.. Robinson is enthusiastic over his
large collection, which includes $50 varie-
ties, and explained the various peculiari-
ties yesterday.
II began the raising of cactus about
eight years ago." said Mr.. Robinson. II
got branch of my variety of spineles5
cactus from a German who had a place
opposite the old postoffice on Main street
about five years ago. and since that time
1 have successfully propagated it.
Among my large variety of cacti Is
the cerius family. The Eucerius class
grows to a very large size and to the
height of fifty feet. Its home is in south
ern Arizona, Lower California and Mexico.
In the latter place it grows more slender
and it is mostly night blooming.
Mexican Plant
',The Echeno-cerius Is quite a contrast
to the kind mentioned in Mexico. 1t has
low, stout growth, with short stems.
1.-THE Pilo-cerius is peculiar variety.
Some of it's spines are covered with a
hairy substance, and others with the re"
NO Of
"The Echinocactus is a round variety
and grows in the desert places of Arizona,
Nevada, Utah and South America. 1t
flowers on short stems.
1.-THE Echinopsis class originated in Cen
trail and South America, 1t flowers on
long stems with white and pink colors
From the falling of the flowers sprouts
spring up and grow, making a large in
crease
''The Epiphyllum variety is mostly
spineless and was originated in the woods
of Mexico and South America. 1t is
probably a parasite, but 1t has beautiful
flowers. I.
1.-The Rhibsalis is a small. slender grow
ing variety. 1t was originally parasite
and Is spineess.
The Mammillaria is small grower, but
makes many offsets. The flowers are
small but beautiful.
with an abundance of succulent leaves
1t grows low and spreads out, but would
grow high by trailing. 1t has flower
like wild rose"
For illustration of some of the growth,
and conditions of the cactus Mr. Robin
son made examples as follows:
Glasses of Mammllaria,
"The Echinocactus has it's flowers
aeaiNst the spinal areola of this years
growth. The Mammillaria are divided
| into two classes, the Eumammillaria am
Y the Caryphantha The first has flower
In the axil of last years growth, Will
1.-THE latter has flowers in the axil of thil
years growth, thus bringing Caryphanths
apparently half way between the Eumam
rnillaria and the Echinocactus."
In speaking of the propagation of the
cactus Mr.. Robinson continued:
81 do not propagate the cactus varieties
because l especially admire their beauty
but / delight to study their natural quail
ties and dig up their right names, II pos
sble For instance, If a friend has a new
variety of which he knows not the righ
name he and l put our heads together
and consult books and methods to secure
the right name. If this fails, we are jus
tilted in naming it ourselves and placing
it on record as new and full fiedged
cactus"
In general resume Mr.. Robinson said
1.-THE cactus family, although now found
all over the world, originated only on the
American continent, and the different
varieties are found from north of the
southern boundary of Canada to the
southern part of South America.
I'm my travels in Europe, South Ameri,
ca. Siberia and Asia, l saw but little OF
the cactus In recent years florists have
paid more attention to Its propagation IN
Germany than anywhere else in the world
Its attraction is in its many varieties and
forms. There are 1900 recognized names
and many thousands unrecognized."
Mr.. Robinson said that he had the first
paper of The Herald run off the press
which was presented to him by the editor
at that time Mr.. Robinson is carefully
keeping that early issue packed In his
trunk as a rare and unique souvenir OF
the early days of Los Angeles.