THE COMMON MAIDENHAIR SPLEENWORT. 



which arc shaded for others. Water must bo applied cautiously ; the crowns or centres of growth 

 should not bo wetted, and the fronds themselves are the better for being kept dry, although an 

 occasional syringing; if necessary to cleanse them, will not bo found injurious, provided they are 

 afterwards allowed to dry. Tlio more successful instances we have seen of the cultivation of this Fern, 

 wore in cases in which the atmosphere of tho greenhouse was kept rather drier than is usual in Fern 

 houses ; and this is just what the natural habit of the plant would lend one to expect. 



Since writing tho above, Mr. Wollaston, who is a very successful grower of Ferns, has favoured us 

 with the following memoranda of his experience with this species. He says it succeeds best with him 

 planted in sandy loam, with a tori/ 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 

 manage," he writes, " I tested it in tho following way. I took six seedlings of A . Trichomanes crutalum 

 of tho same age, and as nearly ns i>ossible of the same size, and planted them in pots of tho same size, 

 but all in different admixtures of soil, giving them otherwise the saiuo treatment. That planted in 

 sandy 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 marked 

 varieties are known, and they, for the most jmrt, seem to have the quality of constancy :— 



1. dkhotomum (W.). This resembles the normal form in every respect except the dichotomous 

 division of the apex of the frond. It is occasionally met with, but is not constant. 



2. bifurcum (W.> is a neat and pretty variety, differing in having the apical lobe frequently enlarged 

 and always doubly or trebly furcate. It is rare, and constant under culture. It was found near 

 Maidstone, in Kent. 



3. ramosum (W\>. This is very much ramified, and is a highly developed form of dic/wtomum. It 

 is so nearly constant under cultivation ns to claim a place among the ]«rmancnt varieties. The apical 

 lobes, ns in bi/nremn, are frequently enlarged and bifid or multifid ; and the rachis is two or three times 

 forked. When there are many divisions of the mollis, the pinna) are often irregular and depauperated, 

 and they are often strongly crcnatc. It was found in Devonshire by Potter, a well known dealer, since 

 dead ; again by Dr. Kinnhan on Quin Abbey, Clare, Ireland ; and by Mr. F. Clowes, near Windermere, 

 Westmoreland. A Very beautiful form, analogous to these, but branching lower down tho rachis, 

 has been sent from tho neighbourhood of Keswick by Miss Wright; and we have received other fine 

 examples from Ilfracombe, gathered by the ltev. J. M. Chanter. 



4. multifidum (St). This is romosely bi- or tri-dichotomous in the rachis towards the apex of tho 

 frond as in tho Inst, but differs in having the apices all uiultind-crispcd. It is a free-growing handsome 

 form, and constant, being reproduced from the spores. It was found by Mr. Dick at St. Mary's Isle, 

 Kirkcudbright, and has been communicated by Mr. J. McNab from the Edinburgh Botanic Garden. 



5. cralatum (W.>. This very graceful and uncommon form has tho apex of tho frond beautifully 

 tufted or tnsscllcd, but it very seldom ramilies in the lower [Mirt of the stipes. It has a free and 

 vigorous habit of growth, and is invariably reproduced from the spores, and constant under cultivation. 

 Its early history is lost, but some seedling plants made their appearance in a mass of Ifymenophylluin 

 unilaterale scut to Mrs. Delves, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, from the Glasgow Dotauic Gardon. 



C. depauporaittm (W.). This peculiar form was found in 1853, by Dr. Allchin, in Claro, in Ireland, and 

 again in 1855, by Mr. Wollaston, at Itydal, in Westmoreland. Tho pinna) are very narrow, serrate or 

 laciniate, and towards the apex of the frond so depauperated that the spore-cases protrude and apj»oar 

 to come from the face of the frond, giving the plant a very curious appearance. Tho apex is sometimes 

 a mere winged rib. It is very rare. Other forms approaching this, but less or scarcely nt all depau- 

 perated, and having the pinna) distinctly crenatcd, were found at the same place by Dr. Allchin. 



7. avbaquate (ST.). These resemble the crenatcd forms just mentioned, but are more equal in the 





