^37 



then do no harm, and sourness will not be induced. When 

 once the plants are installed, they should be marked in^ 

 some way, so that they be not turned this way and that as 

 growth progresses. They will grow towards the light, and 

 not towards the room, and any attempt to thwart this 

 natural law by turning them round and round simply 

 results in twisted growth and ugly plants. The table 

 should be on castors, and then, when it is desired to display 

 the plants to one's friends, it can be rolled away from the 

 window and inspected from the front. Light is health to 

 Ferns, as to other plants, hence, give them as much 

 diffused light as possible. Burning sunshine, however, is 

 dangerous. Air, too, is good, but draughts are bad, since 

 the fronds get all the beauty and delicacy rubbed out oi 

 them. A general open compost of leaf-mould, turfy loam, 

 and silver-sand, in the proportions of 2, 2, and i, will suii 

 all we have named ; but for ladies it is best to get a peck 

 or so of compost from a nursery. 



Chas. T. Druery, F.L.S., F.R.H.Sv 



OUR NATIVE POLYPODIES.* 



The tribe of the polypodies or polypodium is a very 

 large one indeed, Smith's "Ferns, British and Foreign" 

 giving over three hundred species, ranged under that name 

 by various botanists. The large majority of these, how- 

 ever, are known by distinct specific names, the general 

 distinguishing character of uncovered spore-heaps being 

 accompanied by so many other differences that a consider- 

 able number of " synonyms " is the result. Fortunately, 

 however, we need not trouble ourselves much in thi> 

 respect with regard to our indigenous representatives, 

 since we have but four, and these are all known by the 

 family name. A fifth claimant P. alpestve is, in our 

 opinion a Lady Fern {Athyvium), and we will not therefore 



* 13y permission o{ t^ie Gardeners' M a^azine. 



