THE COMMON MAIDENHAIR SPLEENWORT. 
which are shaded for others. Water must be applied cautiously; the crowns or cen 
growth 
should not be wetted, and the fronds them 
are the better for being kept dry, although an 
occasional syringing, if necessary to cleanse them, will not be found injurious, provided they are 
afterwards allowed to dry. ‘The more successful instances we have seen of the cultivation of this Fern, 
were in cases in which the atmosphere of the greenhouse was kept rather drier than is usual in Fern 
it tho natural habit of the 
houses; and this is just w o expect 
plant would lead one 
Sinco writing the а 
+, Mr, Wollaston, who is a very successful grower of Ferns, has favoured us 
with the following memo 
‚da of his experience with this species, He says it succeeds best with him 
planted in sandy loam, with a very slight admixture of perfectly decayed leaf-mould, over plenty of 
drainage, without moss above it, with a free use of water, and free ventilation. “Finding it difficult to 
he writes, “I t 
d it in the following way. I took six seedlings of A. Zrichomanes cristatum 
of the same age, and as nearly as possible of the same size, and planted 
m in pots of the same size 
but all in different admixtures of soil, giving thom otherwise the same treatment. That planted in 
ndy loam did best, very perceptibly, and that in sandy peat did worst; that in pure leaf mould was 
bad also, 
Until lately very little variation had been observed in this species; now, however, several m: 
varieties are known, and they, for the most part, seem to have the quality of constancy 
1. dichotomum (Wo. 1 
his resembles the normal form in every respect except the dichotomous 
division of the apex of the frond, Tt is occasionally met with, but is not constant, 
2. difurewm (W.) is a neat and pretty variety, differing in having the apical lobe frequently enlarged. 
amd always doubly or {геу fureate. It is rare, and constant under culture. It was found near 
Maidstone, in Kent 
ramosum (W.). This is very much ramified, and is a highly developed form of dichotomum. It 
is so nearly constant under cultivation as to claim a place among the permanent varieties. Tho ap 
lobes, as in bifurewm, are frequently enlarged and bifid or multifid ; and the rachis is two or three times. 
forked. When then 
аге many divisions of the rachis, the pinnw are often irregular and depauperated, 
and they are often strongly erenate. It w hire by Potter, a well known dealer, since 
dead ; again by Dr. Kinahan on Quin Abbey, Clare, Ireland ; and by Mr, F. Clowes, near Windermere, 
Westmoreland. A very beautiful form, analogous to these, but bi lower down the rachis, 
from the neighbourhood с 
has been Keswick by Miss Wright; and we have received other fine 
examples from Ilfracombe, gathered by the Rey, J. M. Chanter 
4. multifidum (ML). This is ramosely bi-o 
ri-dichotomous in the rachis towards the apex of the 
frond as in the last, but differs in having the apices all multifid-ci It is a free-growing handsome 
form, and constant, being reproduced from the sp 
s. It was found by Mr. Dick at St. Mary's Isle, 
Kirkeudbright, and has been communicated by Mr. J. MeNab from the Edinburgh Botanie Garden. 
5. cristatum (W.). This very graceful and uncommon form has the apex of the frond beautifully 
tufted or tasselled, but it very seldom ramifies in the lower part of the stipes, It has a freo and 
vigorous habit of growth, and is invariably reproduced from the spores, and constant under cultivation. 
Iis early history is lost, but some seedling plants made their appearance in a mass of Hymenophyllum 
unilaterale sent to Mrs. Delves, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, from the Glasgow Botanie Gi 
ind in 1853, by Dr. Allchin, in Clare, in Ireland, and 
6. depauperatum (W.). This peculiar form w 
again in 1855, by Mr. Wollaston, at Rydal, in Westmoreland. The pinnae are very narrow, serrate ог 
Iaciniate, and towards the apex of the frond so depauperated that the spore-eases protrude and appear 
to come from the face of the frond, giving the plant а very curious appearance, The apex is sometimes 
а mere winged rib, It is very rare, Other forms approaching this, but less or scarcely at all дераш 
tly erenated, were found at the same place by Dr. Allchin, 
perated, and having the рашке dist 
7. subwyuale (M). Those resemble the erenateil forms just mentioned, but are more equal in the 
