THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 113 



Arrfienatfierum avenaceum, Avenaflavescens, Mellca unijlora, a lovely 

 thing ; Glyceriajiuitans, Festuca gvjantea, Bromus asper and sterilis, 

 Juncus lampocarpus, Carex remota, G. pendula, G. sylvatica, and the 

 varieties of the cultivated Oat. 



FERNS FOR EXHIBITION. 



BY a. GRAY, 



Head Gardener, Norbitou Hall, Kingston. 



[ITH all the wealth of ferns which we have to pick and 

 choose from, it is quite astounding to see what poor- 

 looking sorts many small growers are content to waste 

 their time, patience, and skill upon. Not that it is of 

 much importance what is grown at home, if it gives the 

 grower pleasure in attending to the plants, and so long as they 

 satisfy him. Growing for competitive purposes, however, bears 

 quite a different complexion, for I suppose the main object of every 

 one who takes plants to an exhibition tent is to carry off prizes. 

 Now, to do this, you must not only have plants grown well, but 

 plants that have a telling effect when they are staged for competi- 

 tion. All ferns have, in my estimation, some degree of beauty, but 

 all are not so well suited for exhibition. These notes are not written 

 for those who exhibit at our great London meetings, for, generally 

 speaking, they are able to take care of themselves, though perhaps a 

 hint or two will do them no harm. Ferns for show should be mostly 

 large-growing kinds, as they produce a grander effect ; but coarse- 

 growing sorts must be avoided, as a nice little plant of one of the 

 Adiantums would be any day preferable to a large plant of a Lito- 

 brochia. 



The tree ferns can, of course, be only grown by those who have 

 plenty of room, for it ruins ferns to have their fronds cramped or 

 scorched through touching the glass. Alsopliila australis, Cihotium 

 Schiedei, Cyalkea dealbata, and DicTcsonia antarctica, are perhaps 

 four as fine tree ferns as could be selected, and all do well in a cool 

 house, with the exception of the second, which requires a stove, 

 Adiantum cuneatum, A. formosum, and A. Farley ense are all good, 

 the last two particularly so. In the section of Aspleniums we have 

 A. proemorsum, a very elegant fern, A. bulbiferum, and A. flaccidum. 

 The best of the Blechnums is, in my opinion, the old B. Brasiliense. 

 I am almost afraid to touch the Cheilanthes, as they are rather 

 difficult to manage, but G. elegans does well in a greenhouse. 

 Clbotium Barometz is a charming free-growing subject, with large 

 glossy green fronds. The Bird's-nest fern, Thamnopteris aitstrala- 

 sica, must not be forgotten. Drynaria morbillosa, Miarolepia platy* 

 pftylla, y ephrodium inolle corymbiferum, Pteris hastata, P. argyrcea, 

 P. scaberula, Polystichum coriaceum capense, Gleichenia rupestris, G. 

 jlabellata, are all fine exhibition species that do well in a greenhouse. 

 Nephrolepsis exaltata, i\T. davalloides, Polypodium spectabile, Da/oallia 

 VOL. IV. —NO. IV. 8 



