2/8 



planting of sporelings was made, and some time afterwards 

 4,000 were taken from the bed and boxed. I have a very 

 pleasant recollection of our Hon. Secretary and Editor 

 sitting in my garden, a table in front of him, a bucket of 

 water on his right, and a " no good " box to his left. 

 There we spent some hours selecting the good, bad aod the 

 indifferent. Mr. Druery made a happy suggestion, which 

 I have almost carried out, i.e. to plant primulas, small 

 bulbous plants, and other low-growing spring flowering 

 stuff between the Ferns, and I am expecting a very capti- 

 vating result, as in addition to the above, I have planted 

 3,000 wallflowers, kept dwarf, amongst them. My final 

 word is, treat your Ferns liberally, and I venture to assert 

 the result will give you great satisfaction 



POLYPODIUM CALCAREUM. 



My brother, Mr. H. Stansfield, recently pointed out to 

 me that this Fern is fragrant. It is curious that this 

 fact has not previously attracted attention, because the 

 fragrance is much more pronounced than in any other 

 British, or indeed exotic, Fern so far as I am aware. 

 The scent is very pleasant, and is something like that of 

 bergamot. When the Fern is grown in a somewhat dry 

 and sunny situation the scent seems to be more strongly 

 developed, and it is abundantly evolved if the fronds be 

 slightly agitated — they need not be bruised or crushed or 

 dried m order to produce it. It is possible that P. calcarctim 

 has been somewhat neglected in cultivation on account of 

 the superior attractions of its congener, the Oak I-'ern. 

 The limestone Polypody, however, is a graceful and hand- 

 some Fern, while its unique fragrance makes it worthy of 

 a place in any collection. It is, it anything, more easily 

 cultivated than dryopferis, because it will grow either in 

 sun or in shade and with or without lime, while the Oak 

 Fern only flourishes in shade and dislikes lime. 

 Reading, January i6th, 1915. ^'' ^' Stansfield. 



