1879.] TODEA SUPERBA. 235 



Houses that stand high, and are exposed to searching winds, should 

 always have an additional pipe ; and no block of forcing-houses should 

 be heated by less than two boilers, which should work either conjointly 

 or independently of each other. 



We have had sharp experience lately ; and we would again repeat that 

 such an opportunity should not be overlooked, where it has been found 

 necessary, of laying before employers matters of such vital interest to 

 all concerned ; because, from any point of view, those who have been 

 best equipped with boilers and pipes have saved most in labour and 

 fuel. Practitioner. 



TODEA SUPERBA. 



It may not be generally known how easy of cultivation this beautiful 

 Fern is, and how hardy of constitution it is, so that any one who has 

 command of a small one-light cold frame may easily grow it. 



A few years ago we got a lot of Tree and other Ferns from New Zea- 

 land, and among them was a nice stool of Todea superba. Like a great 

 many who have not the proper means of growing them, we set it in one 

 of the houses, where we gave it as much shade as was convenient; but 

 in large airy houses it was next to impossible to keep it sufficiently 

 moist, so that it never made much progress. We had other two plants 

 for a considerable time before we got this one, and they were in 

 the same condition. Well, two years ago, we put them out into a 

 cold frame, turned the back of the frame to the south, and took 

 out about 18 inches of soil, then put in a good bed of ashes, on 

 which the plants were placed, the fronds being then about 1 foot 

 from the glass. The glass was whitened over, so as to give a nice 

 subdued light. The plants began to show how well they liked the 

 change, and very soon developed into good specimens. We kept them 

 all the winter of 1877-78 in the frame, with no protection except a mat 

 on at night, and though more than once subjected to 14° of frost, they 

 continued to thrive. They have been allowed to remain in the frame 

 ever since, and during the past winter have stood, uninjured, the severe 

 ordeal they had to pass through — having as much as 15° of frost inside 

 the frame, the soil having been frozen so hard for months that the pots 

 in some cases were shattered to pieces. They are now throwing up a 

 nice lot of young fronds, and have not lost one since they were first 

 put into the frame. Another Fern which has stood the winter unin- 

 jured beside them, is Davallia Nova Zealandii; as also Pteris scaberula, 

 Hymenophyllum tunbridgense, and H. Wilsonii. 



John Garrett. 



"Whittinghame. 



