98 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



moisture to which it must be subject 

 in the stove, and thus it is, as re- 

 marked by Mr. Lowe, and as proved 

 by the numerous failures that occur 

 in its cultivation, " less easily culti- 

 vated than the other members of this 

 lovely family." "We have never found 

 the slightest difficulty in growing this 

 fern so long as we gave it good green- 

 house treatment, but in the stove it 

 was always liable to red spider or the 

 sudden decay of its fronds without 

 apparent cause, and in the Wardian 

 case it invariably perished of mildew 



bottom-heat, with moderately moist 

 atmosphere, using only just as much 

 water as will keep the soil moist, and 

 taking care not to wet the fronds. 

 In the course of a fortnight the plant 

 will have begun to root into the new 

 soil, and it may be removed to the 

 greenhouse, where it should have a 

 shady and rather dry position, and 

 have only as much water at all sea- 

 sons as will suffice to prevent the soil 

 becoming quite dry, and never be 

 watered on the fronds. Of course 

 the water supplies may be increased 



4**- 



PLATTLOIIA TMNIFOLItM. 



in the course of a hw months. To 

 grow a good specimen, pot it at one 

 shift from a small pot to a seven-inch 

 pot, in w hich there must be two inches 

 of drainage very carelully packed. 

 The soil should be sharp grit or bricks 

 pounded to the size tf peas, silver- 

 sand, tough peat torn to pieces, the 

 size of walnuts, and silky loam, equal 

 parts. If there is any doubt about 

 the quality of the loam, use three 

 parts good peat and one part each of 

 pounded bricks and silver sand. Pot 

 iirm, and place the plant on a gentle 



during hot weather, when the plant 

 is making free growth, but there must 

 be a constant exercise of caution never 

 to give water in excess. During m inter 

 it ma j be kept almost dry, and if quite 

 safe from frost, will never suffer Irom 

 exposure to a low temperature. The 

 propagation of this species may be 

 effected by dividing the rhizome, for 

 which operation the spring is the most 

 suitable season. Or the spores may be 

 sown on the surface of a pan of silver 

 sand, which must first be pressed close 

 and moistened. After sowing cover 



