j895- 



GARDENING 



117 



STAGS HORN FERN. 



coupled with gas is very detrimental to 

 plants in the house. 



STAGS' HORN FERNS. 



iPlaty cerium). 



The name Platycerium is derived from 

 platys, broad and keras, a horn, on ac- 

 count of the fertile fronds being divided 

 into segments like a stag's horns. The 

 spore masses form in large patches near 

 the end on the under surface of the fcrti'e 

 fronds. The sterile fronds as regards 

 shape size and texture, are distinct from 

 the fertile ones. 



We have about nine species, some are 

 found in temperate Australia, others in 

 the Philippine and Malayan Islands and 

 one (.Mthiopicum) comes from Africa. 



Their culture is very simple, they require 

 only an ordinary greenhouse tempera- 

 ture. P. alcicorneand its varieties majus 

 and Hillii will thrive well in baskets, in 

 this manner it is graceful and pleasing. 

 .\11 the kinds can be grown attached to 

 blocks of wood and hung on to a wall 

 where they will get only a partial sun- 

 shine or even on to a north facing wall if 

 it gets plenty of water. The finest speci- 

 mens I have ever seen were grown in moss 

 with a little crushed bone mixed in it. 

 I'se wire to fasten the plants firmly to the 

 blocks. 



These ferns are usually propagated by 

 taking off the young plants produced 

 from adventitious buds on their roots. 

 As P. grande, does not produce any, we 

 get it from spores, and even then it is 

 slow. But a friend of mine recently raised 

 about 50 plants of it from spores, and has 

 now a pretty nice lot. Other varietiescan 

 also be propagated from spores, when 

 they are wanted in quantities. 



P. Aitbiopicum from west Africa, has 

 fronds two to three feet long and half as 

 broad, the under surface of the fertile 

 fronds being covered with a thin cottony 

 down. 



P. Ai. Angoknse, from Angola, differs 

 from the type in having a broad wedge- 

 shaped fertile frond, oftentimes a foot 

 across at the top. without either forks or 



horns, and with the spore mass in a patch 

 almost as broad as the frond. 



P. alcicorne is found growingin Austra- 

 lia, Java, the East Indies, Madagascar, 

 and Peru, and is the best known and 

 easiest to grow of all. Many large speci- 

 mens of it may be found in private con- 

 servatories. 



P. a. majus from Australia is more 

 robust and has much larger foliage than 

 the preceding. It has broadly lobed fer- 

 tile fronds on flat stiff stalks seldom 

 divided more than once, the limb being 

 elegantly drooping though the frond 

 stands erect. 



P. bUorme, is a native of Burmah, 

 Java, Borneo and the Philippines. Its 

 fertile fronds have a graceful drooping 

 habit and grow quite long and eight to 

 ten inches broad. 



P. grande is a noble species from Singa- 

 pore and north Austi'alia. The barren 

 fronds are large, stalkless, and have their 

 upper portion divided into many broad, 

 blunt, spongy, pale green, tomentous 

 segments. The fertile fronds, four to six 

 feet long and pendulous have a broadly 

 wedge- shaped disk covered with a large 

 triangular patch of fructification and 

 bears at each comer a repeatedly forked 

 division extending a distance beyond it, 

 but always remaining barren. 



P. Hillii, from Queensland, somewhat 

 resembles P. alcicorne majus, but has 

 repeated furcation of the division of the 

 frond. The habit too is more rigid, and 

 its fertile fronds have no inclination to 

 droop. 



P. Wallicbii, a native of the Malayan 

 Peninsula, resembles P. grande. its bar- 

 ren fronds being deeply lobed. Tliefertile 

 fronds are in pairs and drooping, the 

 wedge shaped disk, between the divisions, 

 has a rounded upper edge, and forms a 

 projection, upon which are two patches 

 of spores. 



P. Willinckii from Java is a very dis- 

 tinct pale glaucous species. The fertile 

 fronds are in twos and threes, pendulous, 

 three feet long and narrow, the frondsarc 

 entire on one margin and repeatedly lobed 

 on the other. F. L. Atkins. 



New Jersey. 



HYDRflNOEfl-FERLB ROSE-BEOONlflS. 



1 . Please tell me how to treat tender 

 hvdrangeas. They are of strong habit, 

 aiid have fine foliage, and flowers cither 

 of shell pink or waxen color. What do 

 v<iu think is its name? 



■_'. I have a Perle des Jardins rose bush 

 tli.it I purchased last spring, it has had 

 ciidv one rose. What treatment should I 

 give it to make it bloom? The foliage 

 looks healthy, but doesn't grow much, 

 and there are no insects or anything else 

 I can see to deter its growth and bloom- 

 ing. 



3. What treatment should I give 

 Begonia metallica? Will it bear pruning 

 of leaves or branches? Instruct me as to 

 sunlight, air and water, also soil for it. 



4. I also have a spotted leaved be- 

 gonia growing in a very ill shape and 

 fear to trim it back lest it might prove 

 fatal. A new shoot from the roots is one 

 and one-half inches high. What should I 

 do with it? Z. B. E. 



Tower Hill, 111. 



1. The hydrangea is probably Otaksa. 

 It should now be at rest in a cool cellar. 

 .\ little frost won't hurt it, but hard frost 

 will injure the buds. Keep the roots 

 slightlv moist. If it starts to grow in 

 winter the place is too close and warm 

 for it, move it to cooler, but never Irosty 

 quarters. Discourage growth all you can. 

 In spring when the plants begin to grow 

 brina;themup to the piazza, where it is 

 warm and sheltered, give them a little 

 more water, and plenty rootn. Whenever 

 it is safe to place them out in the garden 

 do so, keeping them in a somewhat shady 

 rather than open exposed place, and give 

 them lots of water and room. Forcmg 

 hydrangeas in the greenhouse is easy 

 enough, but in the window more difficult, 

 they take up too much room, besides they 

 are very slow. 



2. Let it rest in a cool airy cellar, but 

 keep it moderately moist all the time. In 

 a month or two it will show signs of a 

 fresh spurt of growth, then prune it in a 

 little, bring it up to the light of the win- 

 dow, keeping it rather cool at first, and 

 dew it overhead every fine day. If the 

 bush is healthy even,' fresh shoot should 

 bear a blossom. In growing tea roses, 

 first work for good roots, this bnngs 

 growth, and growth blossoms. Although 

 they are evergreen and evergrowing, a 

 rest by cool and dryish treatment for a 

 couple of months 'before pruning and 

 starting them a fresh is of lasting benefit 

 to them. 



3. If it gets too big, shorten it back to 

 a young side shoo tor leafy joint. It likes 

 a "warm room and a place close to the 

 window, but dislikes hot sunshine. A 

 north or east facing window is a good 

 place for it, or a south or west one 

 if a thin muslin screen is drawn be- 

 tween it and the glass when the sun is 

 shining brightly. Keep it moderately 

 moist, but never verj' wet. Uon't wet it 

 overhead, except now and again, say 

 once a fortnight, when you may take it 

 outside some warm morning or to the 

 kitchen sink if a cold day, and give it a 

 shower bath overhead to clean the dust 

 off of its leaves. Do this only in bright 

 dry weather. It enjoys a little fresh air 

 cverv fine morning, but no draught and 

 no ciiill, for it is a warmth-loving plant. 

 A porous loam with leaf soil mixed in it, 

 or a little very rotten nuinure suits it 

 well; and havc'the pots well drained. 



4. Send us flowers as well as a perfect 

 tvpical leaf. To name it without these 

 vvould simply be guessing at it. Cut the 

 old stem b.ack two-thirds, then when the 



