44 



THE FLORIST. 



The Woodwardiece are a small group, consisting of the single genus 

 Woodwardia, which latter, however, includes the plants sometimes 

 placed under Doodia. It produces one row (sometimes more) of short 

 or shortish lunate sori near the costa, the sori having an indusium, 

 which is either nearly flat, or arched. 



The Menisciece differ in having their short lunately-curved sori 

 naked, that is, without any indusia. To this section we refer three 

 genera : — Brainea, which has combined ] transverse-costal veins ; 

 Meniscium, which has the venules uniting in transverse subangular 



§12. Menisciece: Meniscium dentatum. 



arcs between the pinnate veins ; and Dryomenis, in which the veins 

 are reticulated. Of these Brainea has doubtless a general affinity 

 with the Woodwardiece, as Dryomenis has with the Polypodiece, but 

 they are brought here by their short naked transverse sori. 



The remaining groups of Polypodinece must be reserved for another 

 paper. 



Thomas Moore. 



Chelsea. 



ON PRUNING. 

 Pruning is the art of controlling or appropriating the energies of a 

 plant for a specific purpose ; it may be for the production of flowers and 

 fruit, or of wood. There is no art in the whole practice of gardening 

 which requires so much knowledge and tact ; for while the operator 

 should be an adept in the use of the knife, he should foresee the effects 

 which each cut will produce, and see the tree as it will be after his 

 operations are completed. Every labourer who sports a blue apron, 

 and goes a "jobbing," would feel his dignity assailed if he were told 

 that he did not understand pruning, and had not pruned Mr. A.'s trees 

 as they should be. But I think no one can be an fait in this science 

 who has not learned something of elementary physiology, and who has 

 not also had a good share of practice to acquire tact and skill. Vast 

 mistakes are made for want of attention to summer pruning (I mean that 

 effected by finger and thumb). In the case of fruit trees, if a strong 

 shoot is allowed to run without stopping, it will soon become a gour- 

 mand, and require ultimate removal with the knife ; while, if stopped, 

 it will result in three or four moderate fruitful shoots, which leave 

 nothing for the knife to do ; and it is amazing how much labour proper 



