COPVRIGHT, 1898, BY 



FUORISTS' PUBUISmrHG CO., 520-535 Caxton Building, CtllCAGO. 



Vol. m. 



CHICAGO AND NEW YORK, DECEMBER 22, 1898. 



No. 56. 



ADIANTUM DECORUM. 



This strong growing maidenhair is 

 one of the best of the genus for gen- 

 eral purposes, and endures exposure 

 to the dry atmosphere of a dwelling 

 fully as well as A. cuneatum, and pos- 



adapted for mixing among large 

 flowers. 



In general outline the fronds of A. 

 decorum are nearly deltoid, and the 

 individual pinnae follow the same 

 scheme in their more or less triangu- 

 lar outline, the color of the mature 



-^^^ 



v'^ ;■■! 





A. decorum seeds quite freely, but 

 the spores do not always germinate 

 with as much freedom as those of A. 

 cuneatum, this probably accounting 

 for the fact that A. decorum is so 

 much less frequently seen than our 

 common maidenhair. 



As an exhibition plant A. decorum 

 is admirable, being both quick in 

 growth and of very graceful habit, 

 the fronds often reaching a length of 

 eighteen inches and standing up well 

 without artificial support. 



Like all adiantums of vigorous hab- 

 it, the species in question enjoys good 

 living, and makes great progress in 

 such a compost as A. Farleyense de- 

 lights in, namely, rich, turfy sod, to 

 which has been added one part in 

 four of dry cow dung, but in using 

 these highly fertilized soils careful 

 watering is needed until the roots are 

 re-established after potting. 



W. H. TAPLIN. 





Adiantum Decorum. 



sibly a trifle better than the latter 

 species when both have been grown 

 in the same conditions of temperature 

 and light. The fronds of A. decorum 

 are also equally good for cutting, and 

 when fully grown are stronger than 

 those of A. cuneatum, and thus better 



fronds being dark green, while the 

 young leaves vary in color from pale 

 green to pinkish during the process of 

 unfolding, these differences in color 

 depending on the condition of the 

 plant and the amount of light it re- 

 ceives. 



CHRYSANTHEMUM MODESTO. 



Does the chrysanthemum Modesto 

 commonly sport to deep pink? All my 

 plants have this yeai had blooms of a 

 deep pink, though for years they have 

 had the usual Modesto yellow. S. S. 



While chrysanthemums will sport to 

 other than their own colors it is ex- 

 tremely improbable that an entire 

 batch of plants would do so simulta- 

 neously. I have never in my experience 

 heard of such a thing. My explanation 

 of the matter would be that the labels 

 had been changed or the plants mixed 

 in the cutting bench. It is very easily 

 done if several persons handle the 

 .same plants, and it needs lots of expe- 

 rience to be able to tell all the varie- 

 ties by their foliage alone. Of course, 

 if the foliage and flowers are exactly 

 identical with Modesto in every re- 

 spect but color, the plants have sport- 



