I20 



form of it ; L. f. m. crispa cvistata angustata, a very narro^v 

 form of the last. Then we have L. f. in. crispa gracilis^ 

 with slender leathery divisions, curved hook-like at the 

 tips. These would all find ample room in 4inch pots, and 

 being evergreen, and, like all the rest, perfectly hardy, are 

 as much winter ornaments as summer ones. A size larger, 

 but still dwarf, is L. f. m. fluctnosa, or crispatissima, dense, 

 and beautifully crimped, 9 inches high. Among the 

 Shield Ferns, P. angulare Lyellii is the dwarfest and 

 prettiest, all the beautiful cutting and detail of the 

 Polystichtim being crammed into a tiny plant of 4 or 5 

 inches high. P. a. cotigestum is larger, but very dense, and 

 a crested form of this exists of the same dimensions — about 

 9 inches. P. a. pavvissimum is very neat and pretty, but 

 belies its name by reaching a foot in height. 



The Lady Fern [Aihyviiun filix-fcemina), has yielded 

 several gems on like lines. A. f.-f. congestnni cristaium is 

 the counterpart of P. a. Lyellii in delicate condensation, 

 and^./.-/. stipatum, Grantae apes, P. a. congestuiii, but is 

 denser. Then we have A. f.-f. crispnni, an old friend, with 

 a creeping root, which forms dense little clumps of cresting 

 6 inches high; and A. f.-f. acvocladon, which, though it is 

 much larger, is so compact as to require little room. The 

 forms acrocladoji, velutinnm, and nncoglomevatiim, are balls- 

 of moss-like foliage, more like green sponges than Ferns. 



The Blechnnm spicant section of varieties is mainly small- 

 growing. B. s. cvispissimnin (Hartley), B. s. concinmim 

 (Druery), B. s. lineave (Barnes), and B. s. Maundcvsii, are 

 all small by nature. 



(To he continued.) 



