CACTUS & S U C C U L E N T J O U R N A L (U.S.) , Vol . XLII I , 1971 209

Fig. 1. The only picture of Mrs. Nickels known to exist. It was published in the June 1898 edition of the "Southern Florist and Gardener". Mrs. Nickels requested John Coulter to name

a new species she found in honor of the editor, George M . Bradt.

ANNA B. NICKELS PIONEER TEXAS CACTOPHILE

. L A R R Y W . M I T I C H North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota

Mrs. Anna B. Nickels of Laredo, Texas was a remarkable pioneer cactophile. This industri­ous and charming woman, one of the few notable women collectors, was engaged in col­lecting cacti and other rare plants for over 25 years prior to the turn of the century. She amassed one of the largest private collections of her time, had her own nursery, issued illus­trated catalogs and wrote articles for con­temporary periodicals. She corresponded with and sent specimens of cacti and succulents to some notable botanists of the time and at least three plants were named in her honor. Yet today she is virtually unknown to collectors and few are familiar with her publications.

Very little biographical data on Mrs. Nickels is available and details of her personal life remain obscure. She is not mentioned in books on botanists and plant hunters. Geiser's Early Texas Horticulture and Horticulturists does not mention her. Neither the Barker Texas History Center at Austin nor the Biology Library at the

University of Texas have information on her. There is no death certificate for her in the index at the State Library. There are no ref­erences pertaining to her at the Laredo public or college libraries. However, a card in Barn-hart's Biographical Notes Upon Botanists in the New York Botanical Garden gives this in­formation: "Nickels, Mrs. Anna Buck (i.e. nee Buck?) , Born (?), Married (?) , Dealer in cacti, at Laredo, Texas, Co l l . (fide Mil l sp . in litt.) in Mexico '93-95, Texas, '93. Exhib. l iv­ing cacti at World's Columb. Expos., Chicago, 1893."

Mrs. Nickels apparently began collecting cacti about 1870. In the identical introduction to two of her known catalogues, undated but probably published about 1890 and 1894, she wrote: "For over 25 years I have been engaged in collecting the Cactaceae and other rare southern plants from those parts of Mexico little known to any plant-lovers except pro­fessional botanists.

210 C A C T U S & S U C C U L E N T J O U R N A L (U.S.), Vol. XLII I , 1971

"The weary weeks, months and years spent i n crossing vast arid wastes, climbing almost inaccessible mountains, and exploring dense forest jungles, i n Saltillo, Monterey, Villial¬dama, Lampazos, San Luis Potosi and Tam¬pico have not been without their reward, for they have been the means of forming one of the most remarkable collections of rare plants ever brought to the United States. A n d since the completion of the great railway system to the Mexican Republic, I have perfected ar­rangements whereby I am able to supply at reasonable rates many rare species which have hitherto been found only in a few of the large botanical gardens of Europe.

"In my own garden at Laredo I keep on hand, ready for delivery, several thousand plants of the better known and more popular species, and am prepared to collect for the American and European trade, in large or small quan­tities, almost any cactus found in Mexico."

In 1894 Mrs. Nickels found a form of Agave victoriae-reginae on a collecting trip in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. It was described and named Agave nickelsii in her honor by R. Roland-Gosselin in Revue Horticole in 1895. However, Roland-Gosselin's name was unac­ceptable because it had not been properly described. Ultimately this beautiful plant was designated as Agave victoriae-reginae forma nickelsii by Wi l l i am Trelease in 1920.

The Baltimore Cactus Journal (1(7):53-54) for January 1895 carried Mrs. Nickels' account of finding the new agave in the article, "Some of the Experiences of a Cacti (sic) Collector*" The following narrative of this venture is in her own words. However, names of species in this and all of her other papers quoted in this article have been updated according to the classification system of Britton and Rose to make them more meaningful.

"On my last trip into Mexico collecting cacti, I stopped at a small station on the rail­way and hired from one of the natives after much difficulty, three burros (donkeys) with pack-saddles, and a man to take care of them, and another to do the heavy work.

"We started from the station at five o'clock in the morning, each one of us mounted on a donkey, arriving at the base of a large moun­tain range at about half past eight o'clock, a distance of ten miles.

"We dismounted and started on foot to see what could be found. The Mexicans brought me samples of different cacti and I started

*This paper was reprinted without its title or reference citation in D E S E R T P L A N T L I F E , 21(3):36-38, 47, March J949, in the anonymous article, "Anna B. Nickels". Agave nickelsii is pic­tured on page 36 as Agave nickelsiae Hort.

them collecting the species I desired, such as Mammillaria pottsii, Coryphantha pectinata, Epithelantha micromeris, Echinomastus erecto¬centrus, Hamatocactus setispinus, and Echino¬cactus horizonthalonius, these being the species brought to me. After instructing them to col­lect only perfect plants of each of the different kinds, I went up to the mountains prospecting for new ones.

"I had climbed to a great height without finding anything new, when all of a sudden, I saw to one side on a slope some plants which seemed to me to be Echinomastus erecto¬centrus. O n closer inspection I noticed that they grew larger in diameter, but not so tall, also that they had one or several long, yel­lowish center spines which protruded beyond the regular silver-white spines. This as I saw at once was entirely new to me and I thought I had secured a new mammillaria. Later I learned this to be Echinomastus (Thelocactus) macdowellii.

"After finding this I still continued climb­ing for a long time and had nearly reached the summit of the mountain, and was begin­ning to feel very much fatigued and discour­aged, when I found what amply repaid me for my trouble in the form of a new agave, and although I have not been able to have it named, yet, I think it w i l l prove a far more desirable plant than Agave victoriae-reginae having wider and more distinct markings, the underside of the leaf being crossed and re-crossed by the broad white lines making a beautiful contrast. It is also different from A . victoriae-reginae in that the spines are very black and the center spine wi th the three corner or edge spines do not come up sep­arately but are all connected and form one solid base, whereas A . victoriae-reginae has a white base from which the light brown spines protrude.

"It began to get late in the afternoon by this time, I called the men and we collected about 100 plants of this, to me, new and distinct agave. After this the plants were packed in bags and baskets and loaded on the backs of the donkeys. W e started back to the station on foot, there being no chance to ride, as the animals were well loaded with cacti; the agaves being tied on top of the loads to pre­vent the spines from being broken.

"Shortly after starting on our return it com­menced to rain, keeping up, and as there was no shelter, we plodded along in the rain and mud for nearly eight miles, arriving at the station about eight o'clock at night, soaking wet and muddy from head to foot, nearly chilled through with cold, and oh, so weary!

"Yet I would have undergone the same work

C A C T U S & S U C C U L E N T J O U R N A L (U.S.), Vol. XLIII , 1971 211

and discomfort over again to have procured the agave alone, not to count the many other beautiful plants I secured."

A brief report in the Baltimore Cactus Jour­nal3" (1 (11) : 115, May 1895) noted that "Mrs . Nickels has been very busy and both she and her son have been collecting. Her new agave which resembles A . victoriae-reginae, has been photographed and may be named A . nickelsii. She has five or six new agaves, which wi l l be mentioned later, as well as other plants. She has been especially successful in finding fine specimens of A . scabra, A. xylonacantha and A . victoriae-reginae."

Agave nickelsii was discussed and illustrated in the anonymous article, "Some New and Very Pretty Plants" in the Baltimore Cactus Journal (1(12):133) for June 1895. It is as follows: "Although our friend 'Carp' has given an excellent description of this new agave, no one can imagine the beauty of it—he must see it. The writer was presented with a hand­some specimen by Mrs. Nickels, who found the plant, and in whose honor it was named, and placing by the side a Agave victoriae-reginae, which it resembles in many respects, is by far the prettiest of any of this family. The leaves are much stouter than on A . victoriae-reginae, the ends of which are dark brown, ornamented by a long, sharp, black point. The markings on the back of the leaf are broad, and every leaf is marked alike. The illustration is taken from a plant 16 inches in diameter. Mrs. Nickels, whose advertisement is found in another column, can furnish this agave at various prices, according to size of plant, and anyone wishing the beauty of beauties in the agave line should procure one."

In 1900 the Mexican Government sent Mrs. Nickels' plants, including Agave nickelsii, for a display at the Paris Exposition. When it closed, the plants were distributed to various botanical gardens and nurseries, including the nursery of Messrs. Nabbonnand of Golfe-Juan. It was from this nursery that A lv in Berger received Agave nickelsii in 1903 and named it A . vic­toriae-reginae var. laxior. However, he later concluded it was more than a variety and named it A . ferdinandi-regis (Die Agaven, page 90, 1915), in honor of his friend and neighbor, the king of Bulgaria. H e conceded that A . nickelsii might be identical with his new plant.

A n article, " A Texas Cactus Garden," in the Baltimore Cactus Journal (1(9) :83) in March 1895 undoubtedly was authored by Mrs.

* Another brief notation is found on the editorial page (1(8):72) of the February 1895 issue: "Mrs Anna B. Nickels has a fine lot of cacti at reasonable prices."

Nickels. It is signed merely Acacia, Texas which likely is a misprint for Arcadia (the name of Mrs. Nickels' home and garden in Laredo) as there is no post office or town by the name of Acacia in Texas. In addition, the article mentions Cereus nickelsii (Monat¬sschrift fur Kakteenkunde 20:27, 1910) which was named for her and was one of her favorite plants. She wrote about this species in two other articles and it seems reasonable that only she would have mentioned it. The article is as follows: "I desire to give the readers of the Journal an idea of how my cacti looked in my garden at the close of 1894. I suppose I have 5,000 or more, and as you pass among the beds, you see the Cephalocereus senilis, snow white, and from two inches to two feet high; as a contrast Cereus nickelsii (Cephalo­cereus polylophus) comes next, tall, and a very bright fresh green color. A fine plant, by the way, bloomed for me last month, bearing a bright red flower. M y tallest plant is about three feet tall, but I have seen them 60 feet tall, and not over 36 or 40 inches in circum­ference.

"Then the F achy cereus marginatus and a new variety of this species are fine looking plants and grow very fast. I had some cuttings of stout plants set out in front of my house about one foot tall, three years ago, they are now about eight feet tall, wi th the same care that the roses get planted by their side. I also have a Myrtillocactus geometrizans planted out two years ago, and it is now seven feet tall, and a rare beauty.

"I have so many cacti full of buds and flowers. The Ariocarpus have all been full of flowers the past month, and had some A . retusus blooms that measured four inches across, silvery white and beauties, six to eight flowers open at one time on a single plant. The A . fissuratus are a trifle smaller, of a bright rose color, and when one or two hundred plants are all in bloom at once 'tis a grand sight.

"Mammillaria elegans is in bloom and its flowers are red. A new mammillaria I have is also in bloom, flowers red, spines white, cen­tral spine long and yellow. Euphorbias are all in bloom. Orchids in bud. Geraniums and roses are blooming everywhere in the garden; also the thornless acacia trees are in bloom. The Ferocactus latispinus are full of buds which are so lovely. The Echinocactus ingens also show signs of blooming."

In the same issue of the Baltimore Cactus Journal (1(9) :92, March 1895) a letter to the editor is signed Texas, Mrs. Anna B . N . She wrote: "In the December issue (1(6) :50, 1894) I saw an article on "Anhaloniums" (the genera Ariocarpus and Lophophora) by Dr .

212 C A C T U S & S U C C U L E N T J O U R N A L (U.S.), Vol . XLII I , 1971

C . H . Z., of Pennsylvania, in which he says that there are seven wel l defined species, allowing Texas but two, v iz : A . williamsii (Lophophora williamsii) and A . fissurata (Ariocarpus fissuratus). This is an error, as Texas has also the A . lewinii (Lophophora lewinii), and although very similar to A . wil­liamsii, Dr . L e w i n * (sic) found sufficient difference between them to warrant its being named for itself.

"I have never seen a description of An¬halonium aerolosum or A . elongatum (A. pul¬villigerum) (note: all three are synonyms for Ariocarpus retusus), and therefore would not know them if I saw them. If the doctor, or any of the readers could give a description of these species, I would be much obliged. I have two or three that are different from the rest in some respects, and I do not believe that all the species have been found yet of any plant, as every collecting trip brings some plant new to me; and often it is impossible to find any­one who has seen them.

"Relative to Anhalonium sulcatum (Ario­carpus kotschoubeyanus), I am positive that I have one, and it is a perfect plant, the only difference I can see between it and A . pris¬maticum (Ariocarpus retusus), consists in that the tubercles are deeply grooved in the center on the upper surface, and full of white tomen¬tum. I d id not know the name of it until two or three months ago, when I accidently came across a description of it, and knew it at once. I am positive there is still another species, for I have seen the medicine peddlers in Mexico with dried specimens, very different from any I have ever seen. The next time I see any, I w i l l secure a specimen, and if pos­sible w i l l have it named. Hope to have many new plants to write about soon.

"The Journal has been a source of much pleasure and profit to me."

Apparently Mrs. Nickels was quite familiar with the narcotic properties of Lophophora williamsii. Wri t ing for the Smithsonian Report for 1908, Dr . Wi l l i am E . Safford makes the following comments (page 526) after mention­ing that one of the important cactus collec­tions in the United States is, "a garden estab­lished at Laredo, Texas, by Mrs. Anna B . Nickels, the veteran collector of desert plants."

"Mrs . Nickels has contributed much to our knowledge of Cactaceae and other xerophytes of Texas and northern Mexico. Specimens col-

*Dr. Louis Lewin did not name this species. It was initially designated as Anhalonium lewinii by Hennings in Gartenflora 37:410, 1888. How­ever, Dr. Lewin authored "Anhalonium Lewinii" (Therapeutic Gazette, Vol. 12, 3rd Series, 4:231-237, 1888) plus six other articles pertaining to this species.

lected by her are cited in all modern works on Cactaceae, and many of her notes on their properties, uses, and life history are quoted. O n a recent trip to Mexico this writer looked forward to visiting her in Laredo, but found that she was no longer there. Fortunately, he afterwards met her at the home of her son in the city of San Luis Potosi. Though she had left her garden behind her, she was still faith­ful to the objects of her early love, some of which she had carried wi th her on her exodus to the patio of her son's house, and there, like Goethe's Waldblumchen, 'they blossom on'. Nearly every plant growing in her garden she had collected with her own hands. Many of them were from the valley of the Rio Grande; but for some she had made extensive trips into Mexico, often finding it necessary to make long and painful journeys on muleback, and climbing among sharp rocks and along the escarpment of steep mountains where no an­imal could find foothold. From an economic view, the most interesting cactus of her col­lection was the narcotic mescal button (Lopho­phora williamsii), which she was among the first to bring to the notice of medical men. Her observations as to its use as an intoxicant and febrifuge by the Indians were published by Prof. John M . Coulter in his Preliminary Re­vision of the North American Species of Cactus, Anhalonium, and Lophophora. For many years Mrs. Nickels sent valuable consignments of medicinal and other plants of the Mexican boundary region to chemists, manufacturers of drugs, florists and botanists, both in the Uni ted States and Europe."

John M . Coulter, the noted American bot­anist, received several plants from Mrs. Nickels' Texas and Mexico collecting trips. In his Pre­liminary Revision of the North American Spe­cies of Cactus, Anhalonium, and Lophophora published in 1894, Dr . Coulter mentions her name five times. O n page 97 under Cactus heyderi (Mammillaria heyderi), he writes of having examined specimens of this species " in the World's Fair collection of Mrs . Nickels." Commenting on Cactus (Coryphantha) scoly¬moides on page 115 he wrote, "Specimens col­lected by Mrs. Anna B . Nickels across the Rio Grande from Laredo, Texas, and showing neither flower nor fruit, seem to intergrade be­tween C . scolymoides and C . scolymoides sul¬catus"

Under Lophophora, page 131, which Dr . Coulter erected as a new genus, he makes this notation, "Mrs . A . B . Nickels reports that the Indians use the plants in manufacturing an intoxicating drink, also for 'breaking fevers', and that the tops cut off and dried are called

(continued on page 227)

CACTUS & S U C C U L E N T J O U R N A L (U.S.), Vol. XLII I , 1971 227

NICKELS: (cont. from page 212) 'mescal buttons'." Specimens of Lophophora williamsii examined by Dr . Coulter included "Texas (Mrs. Nickels of 1892)," and of Lopho­phora williamsii lewinii9 page 132, "Texas (Mrs. Nickels of 1892, 1893)."

Mrs. Nickels was mentioned twice in Dr . Coulter's Preliminary Revision of the North American Species of Echinocactus, Cereus, and Opuntia published in 1896. In discussing Echinocactus cornigerus (Ferocactus latispin¬us), he wrote (page 363), " A form with the lower central yellow and the flowers salmon is noted by Mrs . Anna B . Nickels." A little known fact is that in this work, Dr . Coulter described a new species, Cereus bradtianus, discovered by Mrs. Nickels on the plains of Coahuila in 1895 and named it in honor of one of her friends. O n page 406 Dr . Coulter noted, "The bright white spines on the v iv id green body give the plant a striking appear­ance. Mrs . Nickels writes that the plant 'some­times covers a half-acre of ground, and seems to propagate by falling over on the ground and rooting all along the stem from which new plants sprout.' Mrs. Nickels requests that the species be named for M r . Geo. M . Bradt, editor of The Southern Florist and Gardener, of Louisville, Kentucky."

Drs. N . L . Britton and J. N . Rose in The Cactaceae (1:215) renamed Coulter's plant Grusonia bradtiana and commented, "This was first described as a Cereus from specimens col­lected by Mrs. Anna B. Nickels in 1895, then as a new genus Grusonia, and lastly as an Opuntia. It clearly is not Cereus, but when growing might easily be mistaken by its habit for Echinocereus." Grusonia bradtiana is pic­tured in color in Volume 1, page 209, of Backe¬berg's Die Cactaceae.

(to be continued)

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C A C T U S & S U C C U L E N T J O U R N A L ( U . S . ) , V o l . X L I I I , 1971 259

ANNA B. NICKELS PIONEER TEXAS CACTOPHILE (Part II)

L A R R Y W . M I T I C H N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , F a r g o , N o r t h D a k o t a

T h e Southern Florist and Gardener was a sho r t - l i ved p e r i o d i c a l p u b l i s h e d f r o m A u g u s t 1894 to J u n e 1899 . F e w copies h a v e s u r v i v e d a n d v i r t u a l l y n o comple t e sets exist i n U . S. l ib ra r ies . M r s . N i c k e l s adve r t i s ed he r cactus nur se ry i n this p u b l i c a t i o n a n d p r o b a b l y c o n ­t r i b u t e d art icles to i t . A m o n t h l y feature i n Southern Florist, at least d u r i n g 1898 a n d 1899 , was " C a c t u s C o i n e r " c o n d u c t e d b y A . A . K l e i n s c h m i d t * . T h e en t i re J u n e 1898 e d i t i o n ( V o l u m e 5, N o . 6) was d e v o t e d to the C a c t u s F a m i l y . I t f ea tu red the o n l y p i c t u r e k n o w n to exist of M r s . N i c k e l s , w i t h this no t a t i on : "It is w i t h the greatest p leasure w e present to our readers the p i c t u r e of our es teemed f r i end , M r s . A n n a B . N i c k e l s of L a r e d o , Texas . She is one of the mos t w i d e l y a n d f a v o r a b l y k n o w n a m o n g a l l of the cactus f ra tern i ty the w o r l d over , a n d sure ly none of us can look u p o n the k i n d l y features of this p ionee r co l lec tor w i t h o u t a keen des i re to grasp the h a n d that has been b u s y so m a n y years i n g i v i n g a l l of us p l ea ­sure. M a n y m o r e years of robus t h e a l t h a n d usefulness is the s incere w i s h of the " C o r n e r " , a n d w e fee l sure that i n this , a l l w h o r e a d these l ines w i l l j o in us. M r s . N i c k e l s has v e r y l i k e l y the largest n u m b e r of succu len t p lan ts i n this coun t ry , a n d n o one h a v i n g the o p p o r t u n i t y to s p e n d a f e w hours i n L a r e d o s h o u l d f a i l t o see ou r fr iend 's cactus f a r m . "

*Mamillaria kleinschmidtiana Zeissold (Montas¬schrift fur Kakteenkunde, 8:21, 1898) = M. compressa DeCandol le .

{Catherine Brandegee , famous C a l i f o r n i a botanist , also k n e w M r s . N i c k e l s a n d n a m e d Mammillaria nickelsae i n he r hono r ( Z O E , 5 : 3 1 , 1 9 0 0 ) . D r s . B r i t t o n a n d R o s e t ransfer red Brandegee ' s p l a n t to Coryphantha nickelsae (The Cactaceae, 4 : 3 4 - 3 4 ) i n 1920 . T h i s b e a u ­t i fu l p l an t of l i m i t e d d i s t r i b u t i o n is f r o m N u e v o L e o n , M e x i c o , an area M r s . N i c k e l s k n e w w e l l . It is p i c t u r e d oppos i te page 34 i n V o l u m e 4 of The Cactaceae.

M r s . N i c k e l s w r o t e of a successful w a y to g r o w c a c t i i n a n ar t ic le , " A C a c t u s M o u n d " p u b l i s h e d i n the Sharon Cactus Guide (1(5):6, F e b . 1 8 9 7 ) , the rarest of the cactus j ou rna l s : She r epor t ed : " A f t e r 36 years exper ience I' t h i nk I c a n say ' E u r e k a ' ! I have at last l e a r n e d h o w to cu l t iva te cac t i . T h r e e years ago I h a d an o v a l t ank b u i l t i n front of m y res idence ; i t was about 15 feet l ong , 10 to 12 feet w i d e , t w o feet b e l o w the surface a n d one above ; w i t h a foot a n d a h a l f a l l a r o u n d the top for a w a l k . I filled i t w i t h wa te r lilies of a l l colors , a n d p i n k a n d y e l l o w n e l u m b i u m s . T h e y g r e w l o v e l y a n d w e r e a lways i n b l o o m ; a n d as i t was o n the front street was v e r y m u c h a d m i r e d . T h e first year i t gave us m u c h pleasure , b u t the second year , the p re t ty spo t ted frogs got i n t o it , a n d w e f o u n d the i r m u s i c a n n o y i n g at n igh t , so I m o v e d the lilies to a tank i n the rear a n d so far a w a y w e c o u l d no t hear t h e m , a n d let off the wa te r a n d the frogs took the i r depar ture .

" S o I though t u p a p l a n that has p r o v e d

F i g 2. This advertisement appeared in the February 1895 issue of the Southern Florist and Gardener. Similar advertisements wi th an illustration of Echinocactus visnaga appeared in

four issues of the Balt imore Cactus Journal from December 1894 to October 1895.

260 C A C T U S & S U C C U L E N T J O U R N A L ( U . S . ) , V o l . X L I I I , 1971

F i g . 3. The cover of Mrs . Nickels ' catalogue circa 1894. She was justifiably proud of her plants wh ich won the highest award at the Chicago World ' s Fa i r i n 1893.

q u i t e a success so far as the tank goes. I h a d a lo t of d e a d cac t i f rom one to six feet t a l l , w a i t i n g to b e b u r i e d . I h a d t h e m a l l p u t in to the tank, t h e n p i l e d stones a n d b r o k e n b r i cks w i t h so i l o n top , then a lo t of s table m a n u r e , a n d then r i c h so i l a n d sand. It was as t a l l as I w i she r , about 2% feet above the edge of the tank; w e l l m i x e d w i t h stones a n d b r o k e n b r i cks . W h e n I a c h i e v e d a n i c e o v a l shape, I p l a n t e d i n the center a four foot Ferocactus stainesii, a n d three feet apar t e a c h w a y , I p l a c e d a four foot Cephalocereus senilis, m a k ­

i n g a n ice square. T h e n o n each e n d I p l a n t e d a v e r y l a rge Echinocactus ingens. O n one s ide I p l a c e d a four foot Cereus nickelsii, ( the finest cereus I h a v e ) ; on the other s ide a c lus ter of Lemaireocereus thurberi. I filled i n a l l p laces b e t w e e n w i t h ech inocac t i , m a m m i l l a r i a s a n d s m a l l cere i . T h e n I a d d e d s m a l l opunt ias ; c l i m b i n g cere i a n d a l l sorts of p r e t t y eche¬verias, m e s e m b r y a n t h e m u m s , a n d so for th . F i n a l l y I a d d e d a r o w of y e l l o w m a m m i l l a r i a s , a r o w of p u r e w h i t e m a m m i l l a r i a s a n d next t o the w a l k , p l a i n b r i g h t g reen M . decipiens. Y o u

C A C T U S & S U C C U L E N T J O U R N A L ( U . S . ) , V o l . X L I I I , 1971 261

F i g . 4. Page 26 of the catalogue (ci rca 1894) features a photograph of her famous Agave nickelsii (A. victoria-reginae forma nickelsii). This same illustration was published i n the June

1895 issue of the Balt imore Cactus Journal in an article that discussed this species.

c a n h a r d l y rea l ize h o w beau t i fu l i t is , a n d a l l the p lan ts h a v e g r o w n for a yea r or m o r e a n d get l ove l i e r every day . M y m o u n d has been an ent i re success. A n n a B . N i c k e l s , Texas. M o t h e r of C a c t i ( s ic ) F a m i l y . "

T h e last c o n t r i b u t i o n I c o u l d find a t t r i bu t ed to M r s . N i c k e l s a p p e a r e d as a le t ter to the ed i to r of the Sharon Cactus Guide ( 1 ( 7 ) : 6 , A p r i l 1 8 9 7 ) . I n i t he r son, B e n H . E l l s , was

n a m e d for the first t ime . N o n e of the n u m ­erous references I consu l t ed m e n t i o n e d h e r p u b l i c a t i o n s i n the Cactus Guide so o b v i o u s l y they w e r e ove r looked .

" E d i t o r C a c t u s G u i d e : I n o w h a v e o n h a n d the finest a n d most beau t i fu l c o l l e c t i o n of c a c t i that I have ever seen. F i r s t a n d mos t beau t i fu l , comes Cereus nickelsii9 a l i t t l e ove r fou r feet t a l l , a per fec t spec imen , grooves s m a l l a n d

262 C A C T U S & S U C C U L E N T J O U R N A L ( U . S . ) , V o l . X L I I I , 1971

close together, inc reas ing i n n u m b e r a n d thus i n the s ize of p l an t each year , b e c o m i n g globe-shaped , co lo r a v i v i d green, short, fine spines o n the r ibs , a beau t i fu l a m b e r color , flowers s m a l l scarlet i n rows a r o u n d the top , 4 to 6 inches b e l o w the apex, a n d f o r m i n g a r i n g a r o u n d the p l a n t of such a b r i g h t co lor that the contrast w i t h the v i v i d g reen of the p l an t makes i t v e r y p l eas ing to the eyes a n d restful . I t h ink i t the most l o v e l y cereus I have , a n d it is a fast g rower .

"I h ave a large Acacia farnesiana tree, ( n o w i n fu l l b l o o m a n d v e r y f r ag ran t ) , r a n g e d a r o u n d i t I have a tub of Selenicereus grandi¬florus t r a i ned to a perfect ba l loon-shape . I n a d d i t i o n , I have one tub each of Acanthocereus pentagonus, Selenicereus pteranthus, Hylo-cereus undatus, Harrisia regellii, H. tortuosa, a n d a cereus w i t h v e r y stiff, harsh , y e l l o w spines (I a m not ce r ta in of its n a m e ) . T h e flowers of the lat ter species are about the size of Selenicereus grandiflorus, b u t the green sepals of the ca lyx ex tend nea r ly an i n c h

b e y o n d the w h i t e petals of the flower, w h i c h gives a rare a t t rac t ion. A l t o g e t h e r i t is a beau­t i fu l cereus. I n its na t ive h o m e i t is c a l l e d Sorr i t to , m e a n i n g a fox, I suppose f r o m its beau t i fu l spines w h i c h look so innocent , b u t are fear fu l ly sharp a n d s t ing l i k e nettles, ye t I l i k e i t .

"I have one tub of Cereus fragilis*, a n d another one of a ve ry stout g r o w i n g f o r m of C . triangular (Hylocereus undatus) that m y son, M r . B e n H . E l l s , f o u n d i n the hot coast coun t ry of M e x i c o c a l l e d the Hues t eca , so I c a l l e d i t Huesteca triangularis. It has not b l o o m e d yet bu t the p l an t is beau t i fu l .

" A l l of these p lants I have a r r anged a r o u n d the acac ia tree w i t h m a n y other smal le r p lants . It is a g r a n d sight for a cactus lover . I expect a lo t of flowers this season. Harrisia tortuosa gave m e the largest a n d pret t ies t b l o o m last year, the b u d was l ove ly , a n d the outs ide of the

* A n unpublished name which is not recorded in the literature.

F i g . 5. Pages 10 and 11 of the Nickels ' catalogue issued about 1894. This handsome publ ica­tion was illustrated almost entirely wi th woodcuts from the famous Blanc's catalogues.

C A C T U S & S U C C U L E N T J O U R N A L ( U . S . ) , V o l . X L I I I , 1971 263

petals was flushed w i t h p i n k , w h i c h was c h a r m i n g .

" N e x t t i m e I w i l l t e l l y o u of m y quee r shaped p lan t s ; I h a v e ten. I t h ink t h e m too beau t i fu l to c a l l monsters , they are i n f u l l b l o o m w i t h r ipe r e d f ru i ts ."

T h e r e is n o r e c o r d of h o w m a n y catalogues M r s . N i c k e l s i ssued. T h e H e n r y E . H u n t i n g t o n L i b r a r y at S a n M a r i n o , C a l i f o r n i a has the three m e n t i o n e d b e l o w , t w o of w h i c h are u n d a t e d . T h e earl iest of these p r o b a b l y was i s sued about 1890 . It conta ins 28 pages p lus covers . T h e front cover is i l lus t r a t ed w i t h a w o o d c u t of Echinocactus multicostatus (Echinofossulo-¬cactus multicostatus) a n d there are 4 7 others i n the ca ta logue . T h e last six pages (23 -28 ) a re d e v o t e d to misce l l aneous trees a n d shrubs, o rch ids , ferns, v ines a n d misce l laneous p lants . I n the i n t r o d u c t i o n to this ca ta logue, M r s . N i c k e l s comments , " T h a n k i n g m y m a n y pat rons for the i r k i n d l y app rec i a t i on of m y p ionee r C a c t u s C a t a l o g u e , I take p leasure i n i n v i t i n g the i r a t ten t ion to this n e w a n d en l a rged e d i ­t i o n . " T h i s suggests that o n l y one p rev ious ca ta logue was issued.

T h e ca ta logue i l l u s t r a t ed i n this a r t i c le p r o b ­a b l y was i ssued about 1894 a n d I have a c o p y . M r s . N i c k e l s ' p lants h a d r e c e i v e d the h ighes t a w a r d at the W o r l d ' s F a i r i n C h i c a g o i n 1893 a n d this is n o t e d o n the cover . T h e ca ta logue conta ins 28 pages p lus the covers . A p i c t u r e of M r s . N i c k e l ' s A r c a d i a G a r d e n , r e p r o d u c e d i n this ar t ic le , compr i ses the i n s ide of the

front cover . T h e ca ta logue is i l l u s t r a t ed w i t h 4 5 woodcuts f rom B lanc ' s catalogues. T h i s m a y be the " N i c k e l . C a t a l o g u e of Cac tu se s " l i s t ed i n the b i b l i o g r a p h y i n Succulent Plants b y W . T a y l o r M a r s h a l l (Sawyer ' s , P o r t l a n d , O r e g o n , 1 9 4 5 ) . A search for this i l l u s i v e reference over severa l years c u l m i n a t e d i n w r i t i n g this ar t ic le!

T h e t h i r d ca ta logue consists of four pages, i n c l u d i n g covers , a n d is des igna ted as, " C a c t u s a n d R a r e Texas a n d M e x i c a n P lan t s . W h o l e ­sale pr ices to the T r a d e O n l y , F o r 1896 a n d 1897. M r s . A n n a B . N i c k e l s , C o l l e c t o r a n d D e a l e r , L a r e d o , Texas , U . S . A . " A w o o d c u t of Ariocarpus fissuratus adorns the front page a n d the v i e w of M r s . N i c k e l s ' g a rden the back .

S h o u l d any reader h a v e a d d i t i o n a l b i o ­g r a p h i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n abou t M r s . N i c k e l s , k n o w of o ther art icles b y or abou t her , or h a v e or k n o w about o ther of he r cata logues, I w o u l d apprec ia te h e a r i n g f rom h i m .

R E F E R E N C E S Coulter, John M . , Prel iminary Revision of the

Nor th American Species of Cactus, Anhalonium, and Lophophora. Contributions from the U . S. Nat ional Herbar ium, V o l . 3, N o . 2, pages 9\? 132, 1894.

, Preliminary Revision of the Nor th A m e r i ­can Species of Echinocactus, Cereus, and Opun¬tia. Contributions from the U . S. Nat ional Herb­arium, V o l . 3, N o . 7, pages 355-462, 1896.

Safford, W i l l i a m E d w i n , Cactaceae of Northeast­ern and Central Mexico , Together wi th a Sy­nopsis of the Pr inc ipal Mexican Genera. Annua l Report of the Smithsonian Institute, pages 525-563, 1908.

B O O K R E V I E W

CACTI AND SUCCULENTS INDOORS AND OUTDOORS—Martha Van Ness

Recently there has been published a wealth of books and booklets directed towards the beginner or amateur on the cultivation of cacti and other succulents, and this latest work by the V a n Nostrand Reinhold Company is in many ways a pleasant and attractive addition. The book consists of 112 pages, hard bound, and w i t h a very at­tractive layout. T h e drawings by Norman J . Stein accompanying the text are absolutely delightful. The handsomely la id out text has valuable infor­mation, advice and suggestions, covering most aspects of the hobby: where to buy plants, how to grow them, how and when to repot, w h i c h plants are best for ground covers, dish gardens, w indow gardens, etc.

Mrs . V a n Ness, in a note on plant names, states that "botanical names of plants often confuse read­ers, but there is no need to be frightened of them". Fr igh t no . . . healthy respect yes, and unfor­tunately this is where the book falls down miser­ably: there is l i t t le excuse for misidentification of common species and none for misspelling of their names. Mrs . V a n Ness further states that "spelling of botanical names occasionally differs"; this is true only to the extent that there is a right way and a wrong way. A quick check i n a lexicon wou ld reveal the proper spelling of such names

as Lobivia chrysochete, Echinopsis kermesina, Eu­phorbia echinus, Gymnocalycium comparapense (the plant pictured on page 93 is not only mis­spelled but also misidentified), Lobivia cinna¬barina, Stapelia arenosa, among many other mis­spellings which are deplorable in a book such as this. Incomprehensible, moreover, is the misiden­tification of such common plants as Agave filifera figured for Agave attenuata on page 11 (here too even the "gravelly soi l" is misidentified as a " land­scape"). The plant pictured i n flower on page 18 is an Epiphyllum, not Hylocereus undatus, and the plant pictured on page 101 wi th the "candelabra growth habit" is a cactus, not "a large Euphorbia" as the caption claims.

It is regrettable that a book that is interestingly written, handsomely illustrated and designed, full of useful information, is flawed by these serious mistakes in spelling and identification. Neverthe­less we do not hesitate to recommend it, i f only for the exquisite drawing of Astrophytum carpri¬corne on page 30! Certa inly the book has much more than just that in its favor, but don't use it as a guide to wri t ing labels for your collection!

Avai lab le from Abbey Garden for $8.25, post­paid, or from your local bookstore.

180 CACTUS AND SUCCULENT JOURNAL (U.S.), Vol. 65

A: As one can see from its large red bell-flowers, A. phillipsiae is an exceptional species and this holds true for all aspects, including reproduction. The very soft leaves will not root for me unless a bit of adjacent stem is gouged out when I re­move them; stem cuttings are more reliable. The species grows in protected places, which might account for the tenderness of its leaves. Apart from the classic locality southwest of Sutherland, I've seen it northwest of Loeriesfontein in well-shaded crevices, but these plants have brownish flowers!

Q: How long can trichocaulon seed remain vi­able? A: I can only speak for myself, but T. cactiforme seed, trapped in our hot office since 1984, just germinated beautifully. Stapelia and caralluma seeds have lasted at least four years. Indeed, a great many seeds last longer than people think,

and this is even true with haworthia seed, which can hold out for six years here. However, the air is quite dry in New Mexico.

Q: I am troubled by the water stains on my lithops. Growth is strong and healthy, but the patterns are badly obscured. Is there a remedy? A: Stains will last as long as the leaves, but there are a few things one can do to minimize this problem. I water with a fog nozzle, using it in combination with a pressure valve, so that I get a slow but steady stream; this way I can direct the water away from the bodies. Nonetheless some water does touch the plants. If I am feeling particularly vain (how curious that we transfer vanity away from our own physiognomy and onto theirs!) I will mist the plants with distilled water immediately after the nozzle-watering. Other­wise, one can just accept that spotlessness is one of the briefer pleasures of spring.

ANNA B. NICKELS From Chicago's 1893 Columbian Exposition, Liberty Hyde Bailey filed a report on the cacti,

writing in part: "In the south wing of the Horticultural Building Mrs. Anna B. Nickels, of Laredo, Texas, has a large and excellent exhibit of cacti. Two hundred and eighty-seven species were brought to the Fair, but some of them have been lost because the building is not adapted to their cultivation. Mrs. Nickels has been interested in cacti most of her life, and for about 20 years has collected them for sale. Some 17 years ago she issued a price-list, which was the first catalogue of cacti published in this country. Mrs. Nickels has collected cacti over a wide range of country in many journeys, in one season gathering with her own hands 60,000 specimens within 2 months' time. All the plants in her collection at the Fair are wild specimens, freshly transferred from their native soil, the purpose being to show the species in their indigenous forms. There are some remarkable fine specimens of Echinocactus pilosus, 4 feet high; E. cylindracea, E. grussoni, Cereus dumortieri, C. nickelsii, a species which in its native soil grows to a height of 30 feet without a branch; C. passacana, C. pugioniferus and its variety geometrizans, C. thurberi, Pilocereus houlettii and P. hoppenstedti, and Anhalonium prismaticum. This exhibit excels in the long or upright cacti of cereus type, a charac­teristic mark, apparently, of the cactus flora of her region." From Garden and Forest, Vol. 6, No. 294, page 429, October 11, 1893.

Larry W. Mitich

WHAT'S NEW Aloe, the South African succulent society's journal, published a new stapeliad, Tridentea pusilla

Frandsen, in its no. 2 of vol. 29. There are also articles on Euphorbia monteiroi (its var. brandbergensis becomes up to 3 meters high!), Sarcostemma, and an entertaining piece on Kaokoland by Dave Hardy. This is certainly one of the most attractive journals on succulents, with many large color photos. We highly recommend membership (66 rands a year) in the Succulent Society of South Africa, PO Box 1193, 0001 Pretoria, S. Africa.

Asclepios, journal of the International Asclepiad Society ($20 a year, from D. Craig, 67 Hill St., Norwood, MA 02062), has published a new genus, Leachiella Plowes, to contain the smooth-stemmed trichocaulons. Plowes has also transferred the remaining species of trichocaulons (those with spiny stems) to Hoodia so that, following his system, Trichocaulon is no longer recognized as a genus. A lively debate on this subject is carried out in No. 58 by Darrel Plowes and Peter Bruyns.

In recent issues of Kakteen und andere Sukkulenten Werner Rauh has published several new Madagascan euphorbias: E. banae, E. subpeltatophylla, and the strange E. bongolavensis. In the February issue Helmut Regnat concludes his beautifully illustrated, seven-part survey of New World Crassulaceae. This handsomely printed, monthly German periodical is very worthy of your attention; unfortunately, due to the exchange rate, it is expensive for those in the US: 60 German marks, about $38 (send to Peter Mansfeld, Grotenbleken 9, 2000 Hamburg 65, Germany).