202 



THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 



to remove it as soon as it was tho- 

 roughly established, but it grew so 

 rapidly, so heartily enjoyed itself, 

 that I could not find it in my heart to 

 remove it. The sessile leaves spread 

 over the surface of the block, their 

 lobed summits bowing gracefully for- 

 ward, its fertile fronds dark green, 

 broad, and luxuriant. In the course 

 of time the steam caused the block of 

 wood to decay ; but I did not mind 

 the extra trouble that caused me ; I 

 had had the pleasure of watching this 

 pet's development for several years ; 

 and who that truly loves a plant 

 grudges the labour he bestows upon 

 it ? No plant ever grew better, even 

 in the humid atmosphere along the 

 banks of the Niger, where the yellow 

 fever holds his despotic court. 



P. grande, a really noble plant, 

 was introduced soon after the species 

 last mentioned. It is a native of the 

 warmest parts of Australia, and of 

 some of the islands of the Malayan 

 archipelago. It should be grown as 

 recommended for the other species ; 

 and one thing I have noticed is, that 

 it should be cultivated with its back 

 to a wall ; it never succeeds so well 

 if there be strong light coming in 

 behind it. The species we have men- 

 tioned increase in interest and beauty 

 in the order they have been spoken 

 of. P. grande is much finer than 

 P. stemaria, and that species than the 

 elk's-horn fern ; but we have still 

 two more to speak of which will be 

 vastly more striking than P. grande. 



These are P. Wattichii and P. biforme. 

 They are both natives of the East 

 Indies, and attain a size much be- 

 yond that of either of the other kinds. 

 I had the opportunity, a few years 

 ago, of seeing some enormous masses 

 of these which had been imported by 

 Mr. Low, of Clapton, from Moulmein. 

 One of these, which unfortunately 

 died on the journey, would have 

 made a good load for a couple of 

 men; some of the smaller pieces 

 were, however, fortunately, alive. 

 The fronds of these will attain a 

 length of five or six feet, probably 

 even more. Seedlings of both of these 

 have been raised in this country, and 

 we may hope some day to see them 

 forming a feature in every stove 

 where there is space enough to grow 

 them. 



Unlike most of our ferns, there is 

 no confusion whatever about the 

 names of the Platyceriums ; they are 

 called by the same names in every 

 garden in which you find them. They 

 were originally included in the genus 

 Acrostichum {wit\\.Elaphoglossum, Hy- 

 menodium, Gymnopteris, Pcecilopteris, 

 Olfersia, Stenosemia, and a whole host 

 of others bearing amorphous sori) ; 

 but that name is now confined to a 

 single species having a very wide 

 geographical distribution — Acrosii- 

 cham aureum. Of this noble plant I 

 shall not speak now ; there is too 

 much to be said about it ; so I will 

 keep it in mind for another time. 



CULTIVATION OF HYACINTHS. 



Select clean, healthy-looking bulbs, 

 not large (unless the sort produces 

 large roots), but well-ripened, heavy 

 roots. It must be borne in mind that 

 many varieties having small-sized 

 roots very frequently give the best 

 spikes of bloom, and must not be dis- 

 carded. 



Procure them early, and do not 

 select from those exposed in shop 

 windows or in open baskets ; this 

 treatment sadly detracts from the 

 bulb. Our system for years has been 



to keep them in bags, as imported, 

 and we have found that the bloom is 

 not deteriorated (although retarded) 

 even if planted in December. 



The best compost is well-seasoned 

 turfy loam, well broken, but not 

 sifted, mixed with a large proportion 

 of thoroughly decayed manure and 

 silver-sand ; but if this is not at 

 hand, take any good garden soil, and 

 a good proportion of well-decayed 

 vegetable refuse or manure from an 

 old hotbed, to which add silver or 



