MARCH. 69 



Others. Plant the remainder in a bed three inches deep, and about 

 three inches apart in the row, the rows being about six inches, as 

 under. Protect the bed with mats in case of necessity, and let it be 

 sufficiently large to receive those from the frame when the weather 

 will permit ; })lanting them with the balls entire, shaking and lining 

 will then be all that remains to be done. And b}^ this management I 

 have no douht the produce will amply reward the cultivator, pro- 

 vided the seed has been saved from good kinds ; but much depends 

 on that. 



J. Cole, 

 Gardener to J. Williiore, Esq,, Aldford. 



REMARKS ON BRITISH FERNS. 



It is a long while ago since I first became familiar with these truly 

 beautiful and highly interesting subjects, and at that time I hardly 

 entertained an idea that ever I should see them forming a part of 

 our drawing-room decorations. But when we consider the pure and 

 exquisite pleasure which the denizens of a densely populated city 

 must derive from these homely gifts of Nature luxuriating in their 

 windows in a Wardian case, even in the very depth of winter, the 

 change is not to be wondered at; under such circumstances, indeed, 

 we frequently see British Ferns more luxuriant than in their native 

 habitats. Our best thanks are due to Dr. Ward, therefore, for his 

 admirable invention ; for previous to its existence, some species of 

 Ferns had almost defied the best- directed efforts of the cultivator's 

 skill to keep them alive, far less to grow them in any thing like 

 perfection. 



Some thirty years ago, I visited Tunbridge Wells to search for 

 Hymenophyllum Tunbridgense, at the request of my much-regretted 

 friend, the late Mr. Cameron of Birmingham, than whom a more 

 enthusiastic botanist and successful cultivator did not then exist. 

 At the time of which I am now speaking, Mr. Cameron was gardener 

 to R. Barclay, Esq. of Bury Hill, near Dorking, and consequently 

 had every opportunity of giving the Hymenophyllum a fair trial ; 

 but he was only indifferently successful. In fact, the Wardian case 

 was wanting. Mr. Cameron's name is so associated with the cul- 

 tivation of both British and exotic Ferns, that I cannot suffer this 

 opportunity to pass without recording it. 



I purpose in my next to give the result of many years' expe- 

 rience in the cultivation of British Ferns, as well as a few remarks 

 on the different species and varieties as now constituted. 



Footscray, Jan. 18, 1850. Robert Sim. 



