May 7, 187-J. I 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



350 



WEEKLY CALENDAR. 



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7 

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 11 

 12 

 13 



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MAY 7—13, 1874. 



Meeting of Royal and Linneau Societies. 



5 SnNDAY AFTER EaSTER. 



Meeting of Itoyal Geographical Society. 



Royal Horticultural Society, Committee Meet- 

 [ iuga and Show of Pot Rosea. 



From observations t&ken near Loudon daring forfcy-threo years, the average day temperature of the week ia 65.2-; and its night tcmperatuve 

 41.8-, The greatest heat was 81 , on the 12th, IHlU ; and the lowest cold 21^ on the dbh, 1835. The greatest fall ol rain was 1.14 inch. 



THE FERNS OF ST. HELENA.— No. 1. 



HIS remarkable island lies in the South At- 

 lantic Ocean, nearly 1200 miles from the 

 nearest point (Cape Negroi, upon the coast 

 of the African mainland, and would appear 

 to be entirely volcanic in its origin. The 

 rocks are described as rising up round it 

 like a wall to the height of from 6(X) to 

 1200 feet ; the circumference does not much 

 exceed twenty-eight miles, and yet the centre 

 rises up to the height of nearly 2700 feet, 

 the highest point being called Diana's Peak. The flora of 

 this island has always possessed a strange magical charm 

 for me, more especially as many of the species exist in a 

 natural state in no other part of the globe ; and we would 

 almost be inclined to attribute these strange and peculiar 

 forms of the vegetable world to climatic influence alone, 

 did the fact not remain that some of its plants differ in no 

 respect from those still to be found upon the African 

 mainland. I have been engaged lately in mounting a 

 set of specimens to illustrate the Fern flora of this little 

 speck of land, and, rightly or wrongly, have conceived 

 that some slight remarks upon them would not be found 

 uninteresting to some of the readers of " our Journal ;"' 

 and although I would be the first to take steps to prevent 

 the eradication of these plants from their native habitats, 

 I cannot help reminding my readers that there are still 

 several species which have not yet been introduced into 

 cultivation, and therefore those having friends or ac- 

 quaintances resident upon the island should use their 

 persuasive powers to induce them to pack up a few plants 

 and send them home by the mail. They all thrive in a 

 cool fernery, and would therefore be doubly valuable to 

 the lovers of Ferns who have no accommodation for those 

 kinds which require stove heat. 



DicKsoNiA ARBOREscENs. — Upon tliis little island is 

 found a beautiful representative of the genus ; its stems 

 are sometimes tolerably stout, at other times somewhat 

 slender, attaining a height of from 6 to 10 feet, and fre- 

 quently branched. The stipes and rachis are densely 

 clothed with a coating of long ferruginous hairs ; fronds 

 bi-tripinnate, coriaceous in texture, and deep green in 

 colour ; they spread out horizontally, and form a flat 

 table top, after the manner of the New Zealand species, 

 D. squarrosa, but in other respects it is thoroughly dis- 

 tinct. It is a splendid plant, and although very rare, 

 wUl, when thoroughly established, form a fine specimen 

 in the cool fernery. It is only found on the very top of 

 Diana's Peak, and is peculiar to the island ; therefore, 

 much as we would enjoy its presence in our plant houses, 

 some restrictions should be enforced to prevent its ex- 

 termination. 



There are several species of Asplenium indigenous to 

 the island, yet, strange to say, as far as I am aware, no 

 solitary example of the Maiden-hair Fern (Adiantum) 

 has been discovered. The various kinds of Asplenium 

 are handsome and useful for decorative purposes, and will 

 thrive in the cool fernery admirably. The pots in which 

 No. 684.— Vol. XXVI., New Sekies. 



they are grown should be thoroughly drained, and the 

 soil should consist of equal parts of loam, leaf mould, 

 peat, and sand. I am always particular respecting 

 drainage in my advice to everyone, as I find, from daily 

 experience, that want of it is the great rock upon which 

 amateurs so often come to grief, and not unfrequently 

 professionals may be found whose various misfortunes 

 and disappointments arise from the same cause. 



Asplenium compressum. — An erect bold-growing plant, 

 peculiar to St. Helena, plentiful in cultivation, when it 

 may often be found bearing the name of A. fa?cunduui ; 

 when well grown it attains a height of between 2 and 

 3 feet. The fronds are pinnate, the pinna; being large, 

 broad, thick, and fleshy in texture, and dark green, fre- 

 quently bearing young plants upon the upper surface. 

 It thrives well in the cool fernery, and in a young state 

 may be used with much advantage in the 'VVardian case 

 or for the decoration of apartments. 



A. FURCATUM. — -This differs from the preceding, inas- 

 much as it is confined to one locality, but is to be met 

 with in nearly every part of the tropical and subtropical 

 world, and no wonder, therefore, that it established itself 

 upon this little island. It is a handsome species, varying 

 considerably in its different habitats. It usually has fronds 

 from 1 to 3 feet in length, pendant and dark green ; they 

 are bipinnate, with long erose pinn^, which are dark 

 green in colour and leathery in texture ; the latter cir- 

 cumstance renders this handsome plant extremely useful 

 for in-door decoration, as its fronds do not readily suffer 

 from the somewhat dry atmosphere of the dwelling- 

 house. 



A. LANCEOLATUM. — Here we have a plant familiar to us 

 as a native of the British isles. It is a very pretty dwarf- 

 growing Fern, and only included in this enumeration be- 

 cause it is indigenous to the Island of St. Helena. 



A. ERECTUM, var. PROLiFERUM. — A Very pretty species, 

 very widely distributed over the tropical world, and, con- 

 sequently, extremely variable in foi-m. The fronds upon 

 good plants are upwards of a foot in length, pinnate, and 

 bright green in colour ; the sori are large and conspicuous, 

 and add materially to its effectiveness. The present va- 

 riety is distinguished by its habit of bearing quantities of 

 young plants upon its li-onds. It is a charming "Wardian- 

 case Fern. 



A. GEMMiFERUM. — This is a fine bold-growing plant, 

 producing long pinnate fronds from 1 to 3 feet in length. 

 The pinusE are large and of a very lively green ; sori 

 copious, bold, and dark brown. The plant to a great 

 extent resembles A. lucidnm, but the two are easilj' dis- 

 tinguished when growing. It is very effective in the cool 

 fernery, or for in-door decoration during summer. I 

 have seen no authentic specimens of this plant from St. 

 Helena, but have been assured upon good authority that 

 it is to be found there, although not peculiar. 



A. FALCATUM, vaf. piRMUM. — This is a peculiar form of 

 a species having a most extensive geograpliical range, and 

 which is found varying more or less in appearance accord- 

 ing to situation in various parts of India and Ceylon, in 

 many of the South Sea Islands, Norfolk Island, Australia, 



No. 1S36 —Vol. LI., Old Series. 



