IS THE FLORIST. 



maculata ; petals and sepals arc reflexod ; the whole flower is spotted all over. 

 The plant' has verv little appearance of a Cycnoches, or even of a Gongora; but is 

 referred to Cvcno'ches bv Dr. Lindley, the column being free, and not bearing 

 the upper sepiil ; or it might without hesitation have been referred to Gongora. 



KnoDouKNnRON Clivianum. This is one of the many hybrids raised at Sion 

 House, the Dowager Duchess of Northumberland's, and is one of the best in 

 cultivation ; flowers large, whitish, with red spots ; believed to be produced be- 

 tween R. catawbiense and the white variety of R. arboreum. 



AcHiMK.NEs Klef.i. This resembles A. longiflora in habit ; is a very interest- 

 ing species, being a large flower of a dullish red colour. Native of Guatemala, 

 where it was discovered by Mr. Skinner. Figured from Messrs. Lane's of Berk- 

 ham pstead. 



Roi/al Botanic Gardens, Kew. J. Houlston. 



CULTIVATION OF TRICHOMANES SPECIOSUM, 



OR THE IRISH FERN. 



Amongst all the Ferns grown at the present time, this species seems 

 most to baffle the skill of cultivators. It is one of the scarcest of 

 British plants, and is found at the Lake of Killarney in Ireland ; hence 

 it is commonly known by the appellation of the Irish Fern. 



; There is a considerable number of species belonging to this 

 genus, but only four in cultivation, all exotics, except this one. 

 They are difficult of importation, as, from their membranaceous tex- 

 ture, it is almost impossible to transport them to England from their 

 native swamps and forests in a living state. 



There is one species found clinging to the trees in the West 

 Indies which corresponds with our Irish Fern, and is described by 

 Swartz as T. radicans ; another is found in TenerifFe, and is de- 

 scribed by Willdenow as T. speciosum ; hence the specific name of 

 speciosum is adopted for our Irish plant. There is not a shadow of 

 doubt that all who grow this truly elegant plant feel anxious that 

 it should thrive with them ; but the reason why it is so often seen 

 in an unhealthy state is simply because the atmosphere by which it 

 is surrounded is not congenial to the development of its proper 

 functions. 



Let us take a lesson from the book of Nature, and we shall 

 find that the proper habitation of this plant is a wet dripping rock, 

 screened from the sun and wind, and an atmosphere always loaded 

 with moisture. From thence we may justly infer, that it would be 

 impossible to cultivate this plant in a dry spot, where the sun and 

 wind have much influence ; hence, although it is found in cultiva- 

 tion amongst most collections of British Ferns, it is mostly, with one 

 or two exceptions, in a small and miserable condition. 



About five years ago, a plant was received at the Royal Botanic 

 Gardens, Kew, from the late Mr. Cameron of Birmingham, which 

 had then three small fronds upon it; it was potted in a 4-inch pot 

 filled with broken potsherds and a few pieces of peat. Some time 

 after, two other specimens were sent to Kew direct from Killarney, 



