APRIL. 83 



other times it may without risk supersede the old expensive and 

 unwholesome method of fumigation. In larger structures the same 

 quantity may be fired at the same moment in two or three parts of 

 the house. K. 



REMARKS ON BRITISH FERNS. 



No. IV. 

 ASPLENIUM. 

 A. MARiNUM. This constant inhabitant of our rocky shores submits 

 to cultivation with reluctance. Although I have been tolerably suc- 

 cessful with it under hand-glasses out-of-doors, still it will not luxu- 

 riate so freely as when kept in slight heat. But it may be said, and 

 with propriety, this is not our object so far as British Ferns are con- 

 cerned. Nevertheless, if such plants as A. marinum can be esta- 

 blished on the fernery in any way so as to develope themselves as 

 well as they do in their native habitats, it would be a great acqui- 

 sition ; I therefore cannot see that a bell-glass in a sheltered part of 

 the fernery would be very objectionable, or even much out of cha- 

 racter in such a place. Undoubtedly most Ferns, both native and 

 exotic, are more or less fond of heat, but it does not follow that they 

 all require a high temperature to bring them to perfection ; on the 

 contrary, heat absolutely drives some of them out of their natural 

 habits ; and besides it is a decided denial to their numerous admirers, 

 who may not all be prepared to give them a tropical climate. I have 

 seen the present plant growing beautifully in a Wardian case, and 

 to me it appeared that no Fern in the collection did so well ; in 

 short, it may be said to be similarly situated in some of its native 

 caves by the sea-side. I have been told that it will never succeed 

 well out-of-doors if separated from the sea air ; but I consider this 

 to be rather the exception than the rule, as w^e have very many 

 plants, inhabitants of the sea-shores, which thrive extremely well 

 when cultivated in inland districts. To prove this I need only in- 

 stance Cystopteris fragiUs, var. Dickieana, which has been detected 

 in similar habitats to those of A. marinum, and yet no Fern with 

 which I am acquainted will succeed better or look more handsome 

 on the fernery. I have seen the extreme state of the plant, wherein 

 the pinnae were much longer, narrower, and more deeply toothed 

 than in the young state, with fronds from six to eight inches in 

 height ; and by those who had never seen it in that condition it 

 might be considered a variety. 



Foot's Cray. Robert Sim. 



FLORAL NEWS FROM MOUNT BARKER 

 IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 



May 25th, 1850. — We have just received five Numbers of the 

 Florist; and the more we read and see of the work, the more we feel 



