36 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN G IT IDF.. 



about 9 inches high, and does not show 

 any distress at these cold nights, although 

 there is never a fire in the room after five. 

 What temperature can most of the sela- 

 giuellas bear? Denticulatum lived out 

 of doors last winter. I have two glass 

 shades about 22 inches high and only 

 8 inches diameter. What can I grow 

 under them ? I thought of raising a 

 pyramid of hazel rods (I am a very good 

 joiner), and planting it with small growth 

 ferns out of the sides. Will you name 

 some plants ; I only know Asplcnium 

 trichomanes and Adiantum pubescens. 

 Would Maiden-hair have room if planted 

 oa the summit ? G-. S. 



[Fern shades are all made of the same 

 proportions. If you purchase a 20-inch 

 shade, it will of necessity be of the proper 

 diameter, and that is 16 inches. See that 

 it fits loosely in the glass pan, or it may 

 some day fly to pieces. There was no plant 

 enclosed in your letter, and there is no sela- 

 ginella bearing the name you cite. Your 

 plant is probably S. dichotoma {syn. 

 Flexuosa), one of the green section which 

 sends out rootlets along the stems, and is 

 thus easily propagated. It is notable, 

 because each new growth forms a series 

 of duplicate branches, the one receding 

 from the other, and each point is again 

 branched in a similar manner. The sela- 

 ginellas vary in their degrees of hardiness. 

 We have csesia, formosa, apoda, helvetica, 

 and stolonifera in a cool house, where the 

 thermometer showed 4' of frost during 

 the late severe weather, and they are now 

 as healthy as ever, and csesia has all its 

 exquisite colour. One of the most diffi- 

 cult to get through the winter is Paeppi- 

 giuiana, and it will not do to let Martensii 



. go below 35". Denticulata is quite hardy, 

 and half aquatic during slimmer. You 

 could produce a pretty and effective dis- 

 play under your glass shades by raising a 

 pyramid, and planting the interstices as 

 you propose, only, instead of hazel rods, 

 use in the construction of the cone 

 small pieces of very gritty sandstone and 

 charcoal in about equal quantity ; as the 

 work proceeds, the pieces may be united 

 by a little Roman cement. Let the in- 

 tervals be filled up with a mixture of 

 nice fibrous hazel loam and silver-sand, 

 and insert the plants wherever taste and 

 a regard to ih.e habit of the plants may 

 direct, as it will be difficult to insert 

 them when the pyramid is finished. 

 Within a shade 22 inches in height, a 

 bank of this sort may be carried up 16 

 inches, and leave abundant room for the 

 development of some of the pi'ettiest 

 little ferns. Insert at the top an empty 

 small thumb-pot to be filled with water 

 when the plants want it, through the 

 hole in the bottom of which the water 

 will percolategradually and evenly through 

 every part of the cone. The following 

 are suitable: — Asplenium ruta-muraria, 

 A. alternifolia, A. Hallerii, A. Fontauum, 

 Adiantum capillus- veneris, Niphobolus 

 rupestris, N. pilosilloides, Asplenium fla- 

 belliforme. Little bits of Lycopodium 

 denticulatum introduced, and not allowed 

 to grow too freely, will give an enlivening 

 effect. One of the most satisfactory modes 

 of planting such glasses is to insert a few 

 pieces of L. denticulatum, or L. caesium, 

 in suitable soil, and let them fill the glass, 

 which they soon do, and remain in per- 

 fect beauty for two or three years.] 



ANNUALS OF LAST SEASON. 



I send you my experience of two annuals 

 which were highly lauded at the com- 

 mencement of last season : — Tropceolum 

 Tom Thumb Scarlet. A good scarlet 

 bedding plant. It must be planted very 

 thick to make a show. It will not suit 

 exposed spots, as the head is too heavy 

 for the stalk, and it is apt to break off. 

 You expressed a fear that orange would 

 predominate in it. This is not the case. 

 Oenothera Drummondii nana. — A decided 

 failure. The leaves overpower the flowers, 

 which in themselves are undoubtedly fine. 

 Good yellow annuals are still " desiderata" 

 in my experience. Canyou recommend any? 

 Ireland. C. B. K. 



[" Tom Thumb " is of a decided orange 

 red ; certainly it is not of the tone of red 

 given it in Messrs. Carter's coloured 

 priut. Iu the " Garden Oracle " we have 

 described it as dwarf and distinct; no 

 substitute for Tom Thumb Geranium, 

 but a good border flower, in clumps of 

 five plants. The showiest yellow annuals 

 are the Escholtzias, Lupinus lutea, French 

 marigolds, Hawkweeds, and Chrysanthe- 

 mum tricolor. The last is an exquisitely 

 beautiful annual. The list in the " Gar- 

 den Oracle " comprises the best of 

 200 sorts grown by Mr. Hibberd last 

 year.] 



