COPVniCHT, 1899, BY 



rUORISTS' PUBUISnilNG CO., 520-535 Caxton Building, CHICAGO. 



VoLin. 



CHICAGO AND NEW YORK, MARCH 16, 1899. 



No. 68. 



PLATYCERIUMS. 



Singular forms abound in the great 

 family of ferns, and among these some 

 of the most extraordinary are includ- 

 ed in the small group of platyceriums, 

 or Stag's Horn ferns, as they are com- 

 monly known. Though numbering 



From the fact that most of the pla- 

 tyceriums are natives of northern 

 Australia or other portions of the 

 tropics, it is natural that they should 

 be grown to the best of advantage in 

 a warm greenhouse, or stove tempera- 

 ture, a night temperature during the 

 winter of 60 to 65 degrees being best 



Platycerium Aldcome. 



less than a dozen species, the platyce- 

 riums form one of the most interest- 

 ing groups of ferns, each of the spe- 

 cies so far introduced being worthy 

 of cultivation, and some of them pre- 

 senting peculiarities of growth that 

 do not appear in any other fern. 



suited to their needs, the only excep- 

 tion to this rule being found in P. 

 alcicorne, the most common and old- 

 est species in cultivation, and which 

 will endure a much lower temperature 

 than that above noted without in- 

 Jury. 



These ferns are also epiphytal in 

 habit, being found attached to the 

 trunks of trees, and in this condition 

 are sometimes imported, as for exam- 

 ple those notable specimens of P. 

 grande that were sent from Australia 

 to the World's Fair in 1893, the speci- 

 mens in question being grown on the 

 stems of tree ferns, if my memory is 

 correct. 



Stems of certain zamias have also 

 been sent to Euroi)e with masses of 

 P. alcicorne growing upon them, and 

 Mr. F. W. Burbidge, the well known 

 botanist, also tells us of the magnifi- 

 cent specimens of P. grande that he 

 saw in the East Indies growing on the 

 trunks of orange trees, and says that 

 some of the fertile fronds of these 

 ferns that he measured there were 

 seven feet long. 



From these facts has arisen the cus- 

 tom of growing the platyceriums on 

 blocks or in baskets, and this method 

 provides the most effective plan to 

 display these plants, though necessi- 

 tating an abundance of water to keep 

 them in good condition, and also some 

 attention to prevent the ravages of 

 thrips. 



As we have already noted, Platyce- 

 rium alcicorne is the oldest species we 

 have, having been introduced in 1808. 

 and is also one of the most rapid 

 growers and easiest to manage, young 

 plants being frequently formed on the 

 roots of an established specimen, thus 

 forming quite a mass of foliage around 

 the original plant. 



The wide difference in form between 

 the barren and the fertile fronds of 

 this plant will be readily recognized 

 from our illustration, the barren 

 fronds forming a complete shield 

 around the base of the plant and hug- 

 ging the roots closely, while the two 

 or three times divided fertile fronds 

 stand out in such a way as to remiind 

 us strongly of the horns of an elk', af- 

 ter which it is named. 



