6 THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Ferns—continued. 
to subject them. Blinds on rollers, that admit of being let 
down and removed as desired, should be used. Although 
Ferns delight essentially in shade and moisture, both may 
be carried to an excess, especially in winter time, when 
all should be at rest. The growing and resting periods 
are as necessary with many Ferns as with flowering plants, 
although the ripening in autumn, as ordinarily understood, 
is not of so much importance. The general arrangement of 
stove Ferns greatly depends on the structure and space 
at command. Adiantums, Davallias, Gymnogrammes, and 
Platyceriums, may be cited as examples for situations 
where most light is obtainable, and only a thin shading 
applied in sunny weather; while Acrostichums, and the 
stove species of Aspidiwm, Asplenium, Nephrodiuwm, and 
Pteris, succeed in darker or more shady positions. The 
introduction of Tree Ferns produces a fine effect where 
there is sufficient height, but, if planted out, these soon 
require much more room than it is possible to obtain in 
the majority of stoves. By growing them in tubs, and 
plunging, a more suitable appearance is presented, the 
restriction of the roots having a corresponding effect on 
the rate of growth in the fronds. Any repotting should 
be performed before growth commences, as, if itis deferred 
till afterwards, many of the young fronds will become 
crippled. For stove Ferns, a growing season of eight 
months should be allowed, namely, from February till Sep- 
tember inclusive. The other four months should be the 
resting period, when a night temperature of 50deg. to 55deg. — 
will be sufficient, with a minimum rise by day of 5deg. more. 
A drier atmosphere must also be maintained, and less 
water applied to the roots, at the same time avoiding an 
extreme in the latter case. When growth commences, the 
minimum night and day temperatures may be gradually 
raised, until, in summer, the former will seldom go below 
60deg. or 65deg. Air should be carefully admitted, and 
plenty of water applied to the roots and amongst the pots, 
with a view to the production of fronds of moderate 
growth and good substance—conditions not to be insured- 
by a close atmosphere and very high temperature. Light 
syringings may be occasionally applied to most stove Ferns 
in summer, but too much has a tendency to weaken many 
of the fronds. Adiantums, Gymnogrammes, and, generally 
speaking, species with powdery or very hairy fronds, should 
not be syringed at any time. The whole beauty of Ferns 
consists in the full development of the fronds; and if these 
are to be kept in good condition afterwards, until the new 
ones of the following year appear, it is important that the 
plants be kept properly watered and subjected to treatment, 
in summer, calculated to produce a moderate amount, of 
solidified growth, that, in the autumn, should be thoroughly 
ripened by the admission of sun and air to the structure 
in which the Ferns are grown. If, as before recommended, 
blinds on rollers are in use for summer shading, they will, 
of necessity, have to pass over the roof ventilators. This 
‘has an advantage both of breaking the force of the wind 
and preventing an undue evaporation of moisture from 
the inside. If found to fit too closely, blocks may easily 
be fixed to the rafters at the top, to keep the shading a 
little open. 
GREENHOUSE Ferns. A large number of Ferns, usually 
grown and treated as stove subjects, succeed equally well, 
but do not grow quite so fast, in a greenhouse temperature, 
and, wherever employed, either alone or in combination 
with flowering plants, are much appreciated. A more 
interesting structure than a cool Fernery attached to a 
conservatory, when well stocked and carefully arranged, 
can scarcely be imagined. The majority of Ferns succeed 
in comparatively small pots, and are consequently well 
suited for mixing with other occupants of the side stages. 
The stronger-growing ones are also well adapted for 
planting in permanent beds or amongst other plants, such 
as Camellias, &c., where not too much crowded, the 
partial shade and moisture suiting the Ferns admirably. 
Ferns— continued. 
Nearly all Adiantums do well under greenhouse treatment 
in summer, but must be removed to warmer quarters for 
the winter. Many Nephrodiums and species of Pteris, 
particularly P. longifolia, P. serrulata and its varieties, 
and P. tremula, do better planted out in a cool structure 
than anywhere else. Lomaria gibba, and other species, are 
among the most beautiful of cool decorative Ferns, and the 
same may be said of Asplenium bulbiferum, and others 
from Australia and New Zealand: Davallia canariensis, 
Nephrolepis exaltata, Onychium japonicum, Woodwardia 
radicans, §c. Todea barbara is well adapted for planting 
out in a position where considerable space can be allowed 
for its large fronds to develop; it may also be grown in 
pots, any cool house, or even a sheltered position outside, 
with protection in frosty weather, suiting it. The genus — 
Gleichenia contains many beautiful species that do not 
require much heat, excepting two or three from tropical 
countries. If grown in large pans, and tied out with neat 
stakes, beautiful specimens may be obtained under ‘green- 
house treatment. These are propagated by layering the- 
slender rhizomes, or by separating rather large pieces from 
established plants, and potting separately. The shade 
necessary for ordinary greenhouse flowering plants in 
summer will also be suitable for Ferns, plenty of moisture 
being at that season supplied at the roots and, with few 
exceptions, such as Adiantums, overhead. 
FERNS SUITABLE FOR Baskets. Hanging baskets, 
either in the stove or greenhouse, are, at all times, an 
additional attraction, and the elegant and graceful habit 
of many Ferns constitutes them excellent subjects for 
use in that way. Baskets, made in different sizes, of 
stout galvanised wire, may be suspended from the roof, 
and, if carefully watered, the plants will succeed ex- 
tremely well in most cases. Many are seen to much better 
advantage, especially those with long and drooping fronds, 
than when grown in pots for stage decoration. Some of 
the fast-growing Selaginellas are most useful to plant 
with basket Ferns, for covering the soil or hanging down. 
Adiantums will, again, be found very attractive, par- 
ticularly A. caudatum, A. cuneatum, A. gracillimum, and 
A. Moorei, with Asplenium Belangeri, * longissinvun, 
and A. viviparum; Davallia dissecta and D. pallida; 
Gymnogramme schizophylla; Nephrolepis davallioides and 
N. exaltata, and many others that are of somewhat similar 
habit. Nearly all of these are amenable to — 
treatment in summer. 
Fitmy Ferns. These constitute a distinct class, re- 
quiring different treatment from any other members of — 
the family. Very few do well in an open house, as suffi- 
cient atmospheric moisture cannot be obtained. On the 
whole, they do not require much heat, being often found 
to grow stronger and keep in better health when cultivated 
in close cases, in a cool Fernery, than when placed in 
similar cases in the stove. Filmy Ferns should never be 
watered overhead, but the stones and moss amongst which 
they are generally grown must be kept continually moist 
by having water poured on from the small spout of a can. 
This, when evaporating inside the inclosed case, becomes 
condensed on the extremely numerous divisions of the 
fronds as represented in the majority of species, and its 
continued presence there invariably indicates good health 
and the frequency with which it will be necessary to give 
water. Pieces of rough fibry peat and loam, with char- 
coal and sphagnum, are most suitable for Filmy Ferns. 
Nearly all that grow in soil succeed better when planted 
amongst stones, while those that form rhizomes should 
be placed on blocks of peat, dead pieces of Tree Fern, &c. 
They must always be shaded from sunshine; and not 
much light is required at any time. The difficulty — 
generally experienced is in establishing the plants; when 
once they begin to grow and increase, the treatment is, 
in most cases, simple enough. Hymenophyllum, Todea, 
and Trichomanes, are three of the principal genera 
* 
