Mivrth 7, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



HAEDY AND EXOTIC FEENS. 



S there a lover of gardening autl of the graceful 

 ill nature, who docs not adinii-e the finely- 

 cut feathery illumes of hardy and exotic 

 Ferns ? We adinu'e them wherever we find 

 them, whether if climbing up the steep hUl- 

 side we meet with the Mountain and Three- 

 branched Polypodies, or scrambling among 

 the loose and crumbhng rock at its base we 

 chance to light upon the Allosorus crispus, 

 gi'owing among the fragments in dense tufts 

 like finely-cut Parsley. From mountain sides we ramble 

 into shady dells where we are at home amongst the 

 nobler-growing of our native species, the broadly-arched 

 compound fronds of Lastrea dilatata, the robust Male 

 Fern, Lastrea Fihx-mas, and its graceful com]pamon, most 

 exquisitely beautiful of all British species, the Lady Fern. 

 Let us walk along the seacoast, and hanging fi-om preci- 

 pitous and inaccessible rocffs, braving winter's cold and 

 summer's heat, we find the dark-green-foUaged Asplenium 

 marimmi. 



All om' native species are amenable to cultivation. 

 Some of them wiU thi'ive under very adverse cu'cimi- 

 stances, but for others careful cultui-e is necessary. Grow- 

 ing as they natm-aUy do in such totally different places, a 

 somewhat different com'se of treatment should be given 

 to each, although it is not essential to imitate Natm-e 

 closely. I have dug up the AUosorus crispus from the ex- 

 piosed side of a Scottish mountain, where it was growing 

 in little else but powdered rock, and it tlu'ove perfectly 

 planted in deep rich peat on the north side of a high wall 

 in the subiu-bs of London. The Asplenium marinum, 

 gi-owing on exposed I'ocks on the east coast of Scotland, 

 wUl not Uve through the winter in the same ueighboiu-- 

 hood, and barely exist in summer ; but if potted in turfy- 

 peat and loam, and placed in a warm moist atmosphere, 

 such as that of a plant stove, it will soon make a hand- 

 some specimen, and thi-ow-up luxmiant fi-onds 18 inches 

 in length, jbiother veiy interesting native species is 

 the Ceterach officinarum, or common Scale Fern. It is 

 generally found gi'owing on old walls ; indeed I do not 

 know that _it has been found in any other position. It 

 flourishes in a shady part of the gi'eenliouse, in a pot half 

 full of drainage, with a compost of equal parts sandy 

 loam, rough mortar nibbish, and pieces of broken bricks. 

 As to the more robust species, such as Polystichum, 

 Lastrea, Athyrium, &c., they wOl gi'ow anywhere if the 

 soil is suitable, and if they do not suffer from lack 

 of moisture in summer. Some of the rarest of them 

 well deserve a place under glass, such as the many fine 

 forms of the Lady Fern, some of which are unsui-passed 

 for pictorial effect. Grown in pots as Messrs. Ivery and 

 Son, of Dorking, and Mr. Chaff, gardener to A. Smee, 

 Esq., of WaUiugtou, staged them at South Kensington 

 last year, they have a fine effect. Athyiium F.-f. cris- 

 tatuin, Vernoniae, pulchellum, plumosum, and Iveryanum 

 are very distinct foi-ms. For pot-culture they are quite 

 as interesting, and nval in beauty (if they fail to clo so 

 JJo. 67L-VOL. XXII., New Szbies. 



in majestic apiiearance) the stately tree Ferns of the 

 antipodes. 



To gi'ow hardy Ferns in perfection a humid atmosphere 

 is necessaiy, and when they are making fi'esh gi'owth the 

 house which holds them should be shut-ux? in the after- 

 noon, and the plants syringed through a rose. Under 

 such circumstances the young fronds develoi^o themselves 

 as if by magic, and are a source of much enjoyment to 

 those who take an interest in tliis class of plants. Ferns 

 fi'om warm latitudes, as a matter of course, requhe a 

 higher temperature — 5^" in winter is a good mediimi for 

 them, and from 65° to 70° in summer is essential as a 

 night temperature. Nearly all the species luxuriate in 

 a compost of equal parts tiufy loam and tough fibrypeat, 

 with the addition of a fan- proportion of silver sand and 

 a few hmips of charcoal. It is of vital importance that 

 the drainage be perfect, as the Fern, though a moisture- 

 loving plant, dislikes stagnant water about the roots. 

 The potsherds used must be clean, and placed with the 

 convex side downwards, the largest pieces at the bottom, 

 the smallest at the top, and over tins some fibry material 

 must be placed to prevent the mould used in potting from 

 mixing with the diainage. In potting jn'ess the compost 

 in firmly, but not so much so as is done with fruit trees 

 or hardwooded greenhouse plants. Overpotting should 

 also be avoided, as, indeed, this is frequently the cause of 

 failures. The fresh compost gets sodden with water before 

 the roots can ramify into the mass, and mischief ensues. 



Then with regard to propagation. Some of the species 

 are very easily increased by di^dsion, and it is thus that 

 most of the Adiantums and Pterises are reproduced. Take, 

 as an example, that most useful of all the Maiden-hah'S, 

 Adiantum cuneatum. We are contuiuaUj' using its deh- 

 cately-cut fronds for hand, button-hole, and other bouquets, 

 and well-grown plants of it are always ready for dinner 

 table and general in-door decoration. You may take a 

 large plant, and with a knife or small trowel divide it 

 into a dozen pieces, which if put into small jiots, and 

 placed in a close moist atmosphere and a stove tempera- 

 tiu'e, will each make a nice plant in a few weeks. Some 

 species gi'Ow with a single stem, and therefore cannot be 

 divided. Of these the Lomaria gibba is one, and a very 

 desirable species. It is very fi-eely jiropagated fi-om spores, 

 abont sowing winch there is no need to trouble, as, if they 

 are allowed to ripen, the young plants will be plentiful 

 enough. However, should a large quantit_y be requii'ed, 

 it is as well to sow them. Seed-pans or ordinary flower- 

 pots should be used for tins pm-pose. Drain them well, 

 and fill-up with the compost already recommended, but 

 with the addition of a thh'd part of pounded bricks. The 

 .spores when matured should be placed on the sm-face, 

 and, after being watered with a fine rose, covered with a 

 square of glass to maintain a moist atmosphere. 



I wOl now enumerate a few of the most desirable 

 species for stove and gi-eenhouse decoration. Of late 

 years many new species and forms have been introduced 

 to our notice. Adaantums are amongst the most valuable 

 for general decorative purposes. A. cuneatum is the 

 most generally useful of the whole. A. faiieyense must 



No. 122S.— Vol. XLVIL, Old Slkies. 



