THE FLORAL "WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



143 



woody thorns, which serve to support 

 the fronds when the plant is so 

 placed that they rest against any 

 perpendicular surface, and it thus 

 acquires the character of a partially 

 scaudent fern. When grown in the 

 case it requires some light support, 

 such as a few slender twig3 placed 

 amongst the fronds, or very fine 

 copper wires crossed at intervals, and 

 so arranged as not to obtrude upon 

 the eye, which would mar the ex- 

 quisite beauty of this delicately-con- 

 structed fern. 



42. D. Canariensis. — This is the 

 well-known and beautiful " hare's- 

 foot" fern. It is nearly hardy, and 

 grows freely if carefully treated. To 

 succeed with it under case cultiva- 

 tion, care must be taken to preserve 

 it from excessive moisture ; hence it 

 will be best to plant it on a little 

 hillock, consisting of small pieces of 

 broken brick or stone, over which it 

 willsoon extend its handsome "hare's- 

 foot " rhizomes. Under every cir- 

 cumstance of cultivation the ''hare's- 

 foot " fern requires a rather dry 

 position ; it, is much more often 

 killed by damp than by all other 

 causes put together. In a shady 

 ventilated greenhouse it will grow 

 superbly, if preserved from stagnant 

 moisture at all seasons, and especially 

 during winter. 



43. D. bullata, of much finer tex- 

 ture and smaller growth than the 

 last. It is extremely pretty, and will 



never disappoint if properly planted 

 in the first instance. This, like the 

 last, requires a hillock to show its 

 tawny rhizomes to advantage, as well 

 as to preserve it from excessive mois- 

 ture. 



44. D. pentaphylla. — This is very 

 distinct from the ordinary character 

 of Davallias, the fronds consisting of 

 two to three pairs of strap-shaped 

 divisions. It is an excellent fern for 

 suspending. 



45. D. dissecta. — This is of robust 

 habit, though the fronds are deli- 

 cately divided and extremely beauti- 

 ful, owing to their fine colour and 

 glossy surface. The scaly rhizome 

 is a conspicuous feature in a good 

 specimen. It may be gr.rwn either 

 on a hillock or suspended, and either 

 way is one of the finest of the Da- 

 vallias. Like many other fine ferns, 

 however, it is only when young that 

 it is of any value as a case fern. If 

 not removed when it attains to some 

 size, the fronds decay as fast as they 

 grow, and ultimately it becomes quite 

 unsightly. Every fern that grows too 

 large for the dimensions of a case 

 should be removed, and its place sup- 

 plied with a small plant of the same 

 or some other kind. A greenhouse 

 may be cheaply stocked with fine 

 specimens by growing seedling plants 

 in cases for a year or two, and then 

 potting them, and giving them need- 

 ful attention as specimens. 



(To be continued. 



BEDDING PLANTS WITH GOLD AND SILVER LEAVES. 



Though the majority of these plants 

 are used as edgings to beds, in order 

 to subdue and tone down and har- 

 monize strong colours, there are many 

 eminently adapted for forming masses, 

 especially where large breadths of 

 neutral tints are required in the 

 centres aud connecting points of geo- 

 metric patterns. The subjects now to 

 be dealt with may be grouped in two 

 distinct classes, namely, plants with 

 "variegated" leaves, which have ori- 

 ginated from species with green 



leaves, and plants which are natu- 

 rally woolly, silvery, or snowy in 

 appearance, without being " varie- 

 gated." The distinction is of much 

 importance, and we will cite two cases 

 to illustrate it. The variegated peri- 

 winkle is a plant we suppose to be 

 known to everybody. If that is not 

 known to all who read this, then let a 

 variegated-leaved geranium serve for 

 the purpose. If in either of these 

 cases the leaf is examined, it will be 

 seen that its beauty consists in the 



