32 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



properly it is necessary. I have Asplenium viviparum growing well, no doubt 

 owing mainly to its having a good deal of substance in the fronds, enabling it to 

 resist the dry atmosphere of a greenhouse. Could you kindly give me the names of 

 a few likely to do well ? — J. G-. C, Leeds. [The writer of the article referred to 

 simply meant that very few ferns would do well, and attain the same degree of 

 luxuriance, in a house in which they were fully exposed to the sun and air, as they 

 would where they receive a certain amount of shade. As you can give yours the 

 advantage of shade, you can select from the list almost ad lib. The following are 

 all good, and will stand light and air tolerably well: — Cyrtomium falcatum, 

 Lastrea Standishi, L. marginalis, Polystichum setosum, Polypodium pulvinatum, 

 Nephrolepsis tuberosa, and N, exaltata. 



Ferns and Mosses for a Rockert. — Being desirous of covering a rock- 

 work of burrs, from which issues a fountain, I should be obliged if you could tell me 

 the names, and where I could procure any ferns and mosses, which would do this 

 speedily, and not be affected by the drip of water ; of course something evergreen 

 would be preferable. — Blitz. [ The following selection of Ferns will do well planted 

 in the position you describe, if there is sufficient soil between the burrs for them to grow. 

 Though these plants enjoy a damp position, there must be sufficient drainage under- 

 neath the soil, to prevent it getting sodden from the drip of the fountain, or they will 

 not keep in good health long. We shall name those only that are obtainable at a 

 cheap rate : Athyrium fllix-fcemina, A. f.f. corymbiferum, Asplenium angustifolium 

 Blechnum spicant, Cystopteris montana, Lastrea cristata, L. cemula, L. thelypteris, 

 Osmunda regalis, Polypodium dryopteris, P. alpestre flexile, Polystichum an- 

 ffulare, P. lonchites, Scolopendrium vulgare. The undermentioned hardy herba- 

 ceous plants will also do well planted between the fissures of the rockwork, if they 

 have plenty of soil to grow in : Butomus umbellatus, Caltha palustris flore pleno, 

 Caltha palustris, Menyanthes trifoliata, Yillarsia nymphcBoides, Juncus effusus 

 spiralis, Lysimachis thyrsiflora, Sparganium ramosum. The following mosses 

 will add to the general effect if placed on the most prominent points of the lock- 

 work : Hypnum striatum, PL. undulatum, PL. ruscifolium, Bryum ligulatum, 

 Tortula muralis, and Polystichum junyperiwum. You can get the ferns at almost 

 any of the nurseries, and most of them are to be found wild over the greater part of 

 England. The herbaceous plants you can get at either Ware's, Tottenham ; Hen- 

 derson's, St. John's Wood, London ; or Backhouse's, York. Stark, of Edinburgh, is 

 the only person who grows mosses for sale. You had therefore better apply to him, 

 unless you can collect a few growing wild in your neighbourhood. We make it a 

 rule never to recommend dealers, unless in an exceptional case like yours.] 



London Gardens. — Civis. — We quite agree with you that municipal authorities 

 are usually indifferent about the appearance of open spaces, and lose many oppor- 

 tunities of embellishing cities, and especially of giving effect to architectural masses, 

 through refusing to plant trees on spots adapted for the purpose. In St. Paul's 

 Churchyard, north side, there is an example of the worst imaginable taste in city- 

 gardening : paltry paths winding about like worms in pain ; these paths edged with 

 tiles, no two of which are in proper line, and an avenue of poplars planted so that if the 

 trees live they will meet across the path and close it up in three years, but never- 

 theless so planted that the trees are dying, and will not cumber the ground long. 

 A very pretty example of city gardening may be seen in Bishopsgate-stivet, where 

 a churchyard has been converted into a garden in a very tasteful manner. Another 

 good example is in Watling-street, near the end of Friday-street, the work of Mr. 

 James Crute, a city merchant, who occupies premises hard by. Five years ago, Mr. 

 Hibberd showed in his planting of Islington Green how these open spaces in the 

 smokiest localities might be treated at small expense, and the least possible risk of 

 failure. But the municipal authorities, as you rightly observe, want waking up, 

 and until they do wake up churchyards and "greens" in cities will be disgraceful 

 through sheer neglect, or more disgraceful through attempts to embellish them by 

 incompetent persons, or through the parsimony of the public bodies who hold the 

 purse-strings. 



