S48 



JOtTEXAI. OF HOETICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GASDENEE. 



[ November 3, 1663. 



througli the winter. As all cannot be set close to the 

 ■window, the best way is to keep ttose which show the palest 

 hue next the glass, or treat all alike in this point, letting 

 them have time about in the best position. 



With regard to the use of guano, in the case of Geraniums 

 in a sittiug-room there is no necessity for any artificial apph- 

 oatiou of tie sort. The power of plants to decompose am- 

 monia depends on the amount of light to which they ai"e 

 exposed ; and to apjjly any such stimulant to jjlants resting, 

 as your Geraniums ought to be for the next three months, 

 would be a&in to the feasting of an individual, whose liver 

 was clogged up and congested, with roast beef and brown 

 stout. If you keep your young Geraniums cool, dry, and 

 .exposed to as much light as possible, these are the matters 

 on tAicIi tlieir hue and health depend. 



All the fire that should be ajiijlied is just enough to pre- 

 vent the temperature from faUing below the freezing-point ; 

 and instead of vessels of water to keep the air moist, it 

 should be kept as dry as possible, and when any of the leaves 

 show signs of damp a fire might be kindled occasionally 

 during damp weather. — D. Thomson. 



HAEDY FEEjSTS. 



Ah certain diseases become epidemic, and many persons 

 who had net hitherto suspected that they were in any way 

 predisposed to them find out that such is the case, and 

 oftentimes to their great trouble and danger ; so in horti- 

 cultural matters, diseases become eindemio there. Horti- 

 eultura!. constitutions, which seemed at one time impene- 

 trable to anything of this kind, are suddenly attacked. The 

 eruption assumes a most violent form. ' The patient becomes 

 restless, dissatisfied, evinces strong acquisitive tendencies, 

 and is altogether a somewhat troublesome neighbour. His 

 friends are sure to thiuk Mm "daft." He talks either bad 

 Latin, or declares his acquaintance with the liighcst aris- 

 tocracy in the land — yea, even with royalty itself, and talks 

 about tile "Prince of Wales" and the "Princess " as if he 

 were their confidential fdend : indeed he, somewhat rude and 

 persona! in his remarks, has no hesitation in saying that the 

 Prince is goggle-eyed or that the Princess " is weedy." I 

 never believed, for instance, that I had the least tendency to 

 Pilicomania. I had cut many a peg, for layering Carnations, 

 from Ferns, had waded thi-ough them in earlier days, when 

 shooting had more charms ior me than floriculture, but 

 never, beyond admii-ing then- feathery looks, gave them 

 more than a passing glance; but when I had seen them 

 petted f-.nd admu-ed X felt that there was, there must have 

 been, some predisposition in me towards them. The disease 

 was increased by the kindness of some friends who gave nie 

 some to grow ; and was materially aggravated by my friend 

 Mr. Ivery, of Dorking, consigning to my care and protection 

 some of the British varieties : and now ivith his and Mr. 

 Sim's catalogue lying before me, I wish to say a few words 

 to encourage the growth of our native species and varieties, 

 of whioli we may say the name is now " Legion," Mr. Sim's 

 catalogue comprising 315 species and varieties ; Mr. Ivery's 

 being tuore select, but still containing a goodly number. 

 As to the mania itself, I think that it is uncommonly sen- 

 sible, mainly because the charm of Ferns arises from form 

 entirely independent of gaudy colouring. So much do I 

 think of tius, that few in my opinion can reaUy study (I 

 don't mea-n botauicaUy), their vaiied and beautiful forms 

 without having their taste improved, ior corj-ect taste has 

 its foundation far more in the form than in colour. It is not 

 the colouring of the old Etruscan vases or the Pompeian 

 lamps that makes them so invaluable, but their correct and 

 beautiful shapes : and when masses of colovu's, distingviish- 

 able at a great distance from their briUiancy, have become 

 so much in vogue, I think it is weU that colour shoixld be 

 toned down now and then by resting amidst the beautiful 

 forms and lovely verdancy of the fernery. 



And, novif a word or two as to the fernery itself. I am 

 not speaking of Fern-houses but of the hardy fernery. Of 

 the two requisites for a perfect one I am, alas ! unable to 

 comiu;i,nd one — viz., freedom fi-om wind. Shade I can com- 

 mand to a certain extent, but the wind baffles me. It whisks 

 into n.y narrow garden, twists the lionds all about, scorches 

 the edge:- of the leave?, and destroys their beauty to a con- 



siderable extent ; so my best varieties must be grown in 

 pots kept in a ijit during winter, and under the friendly 

 shade, not of a "wide-spreading Beech," but of a titfany 

 house : but stOl, withal, I try to keep up the semblance of 

 a hardy fernery. This structure must be a matter of taste ; 

 and there is one rule that I think is worth while remem- 

 bering — viz.. Avoid everything that partakes of what is 

 commonly caUed "cockneyism" — all shells, whitewashed 

 flints, and such like abominations. Use good honest stones, 

 or, what I think as suitable as anything, "bmTs" from a 

 brick-kiln. I suppose that all do not think so ; for a good old 

 friend and neighbour of mine, seeing my fernery in process 

 of formation, asked •' What I was doing with all that brick 

 rubbish i" Was I going to make a di-ain r" These materials 

 should be piled up according to taste, making them have as 

 i-uinous an appeai'ance as possible, and exposing the rough 

 portions of the bricks to the outside, while convenient spaces 

 should )je left for the introduction of the Ferns. Some per- 

 sons use roots of trees ; but they breed such a quantity of 

 fungi that they aa-e, I think-, very objectionable, though theii- 

 appearance is verj' much in their favoui'. Any one who has 

 seen the positions in which Ferns most deliglit to luxmiate 

 will at ouca see that a light sandy soil is the most natural 

 one for growing them in, and this must be compassed if pos- 

 sible in the fernery. I have tested the cocoa-nut refuse, 

 and find it answer admirably. Mixed with an equal portion 

 of peat and some silver sand, it forms to my mind the very 

 best material lor them. Where peat cannot be readily ob- 

 tained leaf mould mixed with it would be an excellent sub- 

 stitute. The refuse retains a considerable amount of mois- 

 ture without soddening, and the roots of the Ferns positively 

 luxuriate in it. It is equally useful in the pot-culture of 

 Ferns. 



Some excellent remarks are made by Mi-. Sim in his pre- 

 face relating to the planting of the Ferns in the fernery, 

 and I cannot do better than quote his own words : — " In 

 ai-ranging the plants generally, the evergreen and deciduous 

 kinds should be so planted that when the foUage of the 

 latter dies oil for the winter, there may still be abundant 

 objects of interest throughout the whole. To this end, pre- 

 eminently valuable is the winter verdure of Scolopendiium 

 vulgare, Blechnum spicant, Polystichum aculeatum and 

 P. angulare, Polypodium vulgare, Lastrea semula and L. di- 

 latata, Lastrea Filbc-mas, and the very numerous, beauti^, 

 and distinct varieties of most of these species." 



And now what kinds would be most suitable for the pui'- 

 pose ;■* Of this part I can only speak fi'om my own limited 

 experience ; but having gi'own some of the species and 

 varieties through Mr. Ivery's kindness, I v/ill mention what 

 seem to me most desk'able; and, fii-st, I would say, give 

 place to royalty, and plant Osmunda regaUs in a suitable 

 and commanding position. In my own little spot I have a 

 pipe which is supplied with water ii'om the waterworks, and 

 to this a fine rose, so that I can, whenever I like, have a 

 miniature fountain at work. Close to this I have placed 

 the Osmunda, which delights in a moist soil, and by sUghtly 

 turning the tap there is, whenever the water is on, a con- 

 tinuous moisture, so that I hope my plant of it will floiuish 

 well if the cruel winds allow it to do so. Then we must 

 have the Lady Fem (Athyriuui FUix-foemina), and some of 

 its many beautiful varieties. Let me name a few out of the 

 fifty-seven, which JIi'. Sim places in his list. 



apuffiforme, a curious and small-growing variety. 



comnbiferum, handsome lai-gish vai-iety, with fronds from 

 li to '2 feet. 



depauperatum, cui-ious and distinct. 



Fieldise, a very remarkable and beautiful variety. 



Fri^eUise, a very elegant and curious sport. 



laciniatum, remarkable lance-shaped fronds. A vei-y pretty 

 variety. 



multifidum, the fronds are curiously and beautifully 

 tasselled. 



plumosum, a veiy graceful and beautiful Fem. 



thyssanotum, very neat and pretty. 



Of the Male Fern (Lastrea Fiiix-mas), itself very beautiful, 

 there ought to be added the i'oUowing : — 



BoUandi*, a distinct and beautiful sort. 



eristata, one of the very noblest and best of our British 

 Ferns. It makes a fine head, and ought to be in every 

 coUeotion. 



