330 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



manage to keep fresh and vigorous plants, which would not be the 

 case were they left in the same 'pots year after year ; they grow at 

 such a rate, that it is practically impossible to give them a large shift 

 every season. 



Keviewing my Lomarlas, I like none so well as the beautiful Z. 

 Gibha, which everybody should grow. I find it very useful for the 

 table when flowers are scarce, and grow several in five-inch pots 

 specially lor that purpose. 



Lygodium scandens is useful on account of its distinct character ; 

 it can be either trained to the wall, or to a trellis fixed in the pot. 



The bold-looking " Bird's-nest," JVeottopteris nidus, is a great 

 favourite of mine, and worth any amount of attention; every earnest 

 amateur should have it. 



Nephrodium molle corynibiferum ought to be grown in place of the 

 species, now that it can be obtained at the same price. I keep a 

 plant or two of N. molle just for the sake of variety. 



There are some good things amongst the species of jVej)lirolej)is, 

 but I can only get JV'. tuherosa to do any good in the greenhouse. 



Onycliinuni japonicum has beautifully divided and extremely deli- 

 cate fronds, but it is rather a ragged grower. 



The " Elk's Horn," Flatycerium alicorne, is grand for suspending 

 to the wall, or over doorways. 



The beautiful FolysticJium setosum, introduced a few years back 

 from Japan, though perfectly hardy, should be grown in every collec- 

 tion of greenhouse ferns. I bought a plant when it was first sent 

 out, and it now has a clear stem of quite six inches, forming a beau- 

 tiful miniature tree fern, and is much admired by all who see it. 



This brings us to the great family of JPteris ; and I class the beau- 

 tiful JP. argijrea, with its pure white variegation and free habit, as 

 one of the best I have. P. cretica alio-lineata is also good, but for a 

 dwarf grower by all means have the lovely P. scaherula, which re- 

 quires similar treatment to that advised for the Litobrochias, to keep 

 it always beautiful and fresh. This charming fern thrives in a fern 

 case so well, that it soon obtains sole possession, and has to be rooted 

 out. Everybody knows the old P. serrulata, which is by no means 

 to be despised ; and its fine varieties, cristata and polydactylon, can 

 be fairly classed with the most beautiful ferns in cultivation. 



The Tricliomanes are rather more difficult to grow than most of 

 the sorts I have named above, and are, moreover, expensive to pur- 

 chase, therefore I shall not say much about them ; they are worth all 

 the trouble they require. The best code of treatment I have met 

 with is that given in the " Garden Oracle " of 1866, and my pans 

 of T. radicans and T. renifor?ne are admired as much, or more, than 

 anything else. 



The last subject that I shall name is the fine old Woodivardia 

 radicans, with its magnificent drooping fronds. The pot in which this 

 species is grown should be elevated on a large inverted pot, or block, 

 or be suspended from the roof, to show it off properly. 



"Will all these do well grown with my ordinary greenhouse 

 plants ?" I fancy I can hear some of my readers inquire ; and in 

 answer, I say, "Certainly not;" for scarcely a dozen ferns out of the 



