THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



55 



roots or rocks, and like shade and 

 moisture. Woodsia ilvensis is an- 

 other hardy fern that requires pe- 

 culiar management. It must have 

 shade and shelter ; and to secure the 

 most perfect drainage is essential to 

 its life. The safest way to deal with 

 this lovely fern is pointed out by 

 Mr. Sim in his excellent catalogue 

 of British ferns. He says, " Make 

 a little mound, hollow in the centre, 

 of broken bricks, freestone, clinkers, 

 or other porous substances. Fill this 

 little hollow with a mixture of fibry 

 peat, a little yellow loam, and as 

 much silver sand as will show that 

 it forms part of the compost. In this 

 the plant will luxuriate. In summer 

 it will require attention in watering 

 when dry. In winter, if left to 

 nature, the porous material sur- 

 rounding it will secure the needful 

 amount of drainage." 



Tender British Ferns. — A few 

 of the most beautiful British ferns 

 are so peculiarly constituted that 

 they require special arrangements to 

 insure their doing well under culti- 

 vation. A glass structure of some 

 kind is of great service as an aid to 

 produce the conditions necessary for 

 the growth of these, and it scarcely 

 matters what are the dimensions 

 of the structure, provided that the 

 ferns are accommodated within it 

 with such conditions as most nearly 

 agree with those in which we find 

 them when luxuriating in their native 

 sites. A Wardian case is only a 

 greenhouse in miniature, and a green- 

 house nviy almost be said to be a 

 Wardian case on a large scale. If 

 in a greenhouse we desire a very 

 close, still atmosphere, we have but 

 to avoid ventilation ; and, on the 

 other hand, if in a Wardian case a 

 frequent change of air is necessary, 

 we have but to open the ventilators, 

 of whatever kind they may be, to 

 secure the end desired. Whether 

 in a small case or a greenhouse of 

 some size, all the tender-habited 

 ferns must be specially provided for, 

 for some require liberal ventilation, 

 and others do better with literally 

 no ventilation at all. I shall enu- 

 merate a few of this group, and add 

 some remarks on the management 



required to bring them to perfection. 

 Adiantum capilltis veneris, the true 

 Maidenhair, is one of the most deli- 

 cate-habited of all the Bri ish ferns. 

 Sunshine and draught speedily make 

 an end of it ; but warmth, and a 

 close, still atmosphere, are eminently 

 favourable to its full and free de- 

 velopment. Anywhere in a damp, 

 shady spot, in greenhouse or stove, 

 this lovely fern will be found to 

 luxuriate if its roots are provided 

 with a thin stratum of some sandy 

 or peaty material, and when it gets 

 established it disdains the aid of soil, 

 and spreads itself abroad by means 

 of its spores, and clothes the walls, 

 the burrs, bricks, and every damp 

 spot with a perfect felt of its ex- 

 quisitely delicate fronds. It is a 

 charming fern to grow in suspended 

 baskets or perforated husks of cocoa- 

 nuts, as it soon spreads over the re- 

 ceptacle, and completely hides it with 

 its delicate light green verdure. It 

 is one of the best ferns known for 

 closed cases. Asplenium adiantum 

 nigrum is at home in the Wardian 

 case or greenhouse rockery, where it 

 requires to be in a position well 

 drained, moderately shaded, and, if 

 assisted with atmospheric moisture, 

 it attains great luxuriance and be- 

 comes extremely beautiful. This, 

 though a rather tender fern, may be 

 grown in the open-air rockery, but 

 does not then acquire its proper cha- 

 racter except in very favourable 

 localities. Asplenium inarinum is 

 one of the best of all known ferns 

 for a Wardian case ; it loves shade 

 and a moist, still atmosphere. A 

 peaty soil is best for it, but the at- 

 mospheric conditions are of the most 

 importance. I have a fine variety 

 called erectum, received from Mr. Sim 

 some years ago, of which I submit a 

 frond to your notice. This I have 

 not seen entered in any fern list, 

 which is to be regretted, for in its 

 robust, erect growth it is very dis- 

 tinct, and it makes a fine centre- 

 piece to a group of ferns under a 

 glass shade or in a rectangular case. 

 Usually, when planted out, Asplenium 

 marinum perishes in the winter; 

 hence it should be grown in pots, 

 and be planted out in rockeries under 



