1900 SUPPLEMENT—RECENT INTRODUCTIONS, &C. 39 
Alsophila— continued. 
A. excelsa, perhaps the most rapid grower of all, is said 
to have a trunk or stem between 60ft. and 80ft. high. 
To induce them to make good growth under artificial 
conditions, it is necessary that the Alsophilas, as well as 
all other Tree-Ferns, should have an abundant supply of 
water during the summer, but taking care to moderate 
the sprinklings during the winter—without, however, 
suspending them altogether in any case. Occasional 
waterings with weak liquid manure are beneficial to 
them. especially in the spring when the new fronds are 
unfolding. Although Alsophilas grow well in a light 
conservatory, where they produce fronds of a hardy and 
very substantial texture, it is under the combined 
influences of shade and moisture that their most vigorous 
growth is produced; they should therefore be sufficiently 
shaded to prevent the sun from burning the fronds as 
Alsophila—continued. 
extensively employed for indoor decoration, as very little 
time is required from the seedling state to get them snfli- 
ciently strong to be useful for that purpose; but those 
home-raised seedlings which are kept and grown on, soon 
form short stems or trunks, producing fine heads of massive 
yet gracefully-arching fronds, often reaching 4ft. in length. 
When in that state, A. excelsa is a most effective plant for 
sub-tropical gardening. 
Although very scarce in cultivation, A. pruinata deserves 
every attention, if only on account of its distinctive and 
ornamental characters, for its fronds, of a particularly 
elegant habit, are quite as silvery underneath as those of 
the better-known Cyathea dealbata; while the stem or 
trunk from which they are produced. and which under 
cultivation seldom attains large proportions, usually forms 
several crowns or heads, and by the division of these the 
Fic. 38. ALSOPHILA PYCNOCARPA. 
they unfold, as well as to keep them from being discoloured 
when fully developed. As is the case with all arborescent 
Ferns, very little pot room will suffice for Alsophilas. 
They should be potted, tubbed, or, better still, planted 
out in the houses, in a compost of three-parts peat, one 
_part fibrous loam, and one part sand as coarse as pro- 
curable: in this they will grow luxuriantly for years with- 
out requiring further attention than constant moistening. 
A. capensis, A. Van Geertii, and perhaps a few other 
kinds, produce on their stems young growths, from which 
they can be propagated; but Alsophilas are usually 
increased from spores, which are abundantly produced 
and germinate freely under warm treatment. 
A. excelsa is essentially a decorative Fern, growing larger 
and quicker than A. australis; young plants of it are 
plant can be increased. To those described on pp. 54-6, 
Vol. I., the following should be added: 
A. Andersoni (Anderson’s). fronds large, tripinnatifid, rough 
on their under-surface; rachis dark chestnut-colour; pinne 
oblong-lanceolate, 14ft. to 2ft. long ; pinnules numerous, almost 
stalkless, cut down to a narrow wing 4in. to 6in. long and lin. 
broad ; ultimate segments closely set, spear-shaped, bluntish, 
about tin. broad, distinctly toothed, their ribs densely bristly. 
sori very small, inframedial. Sikkim. A distinct, stove 
species. 
A. aspera (rough). __ An illustration of this fine West Indian 
species is given in Fig. 56. 
A. atrovirens (dark green).* sti. about equal to the fronds, 
stout, and slightly scaly. fronds large, tripinnatifid; pinne 
spear-shaped, Sin. to 15in. long, 3in. to 4in. broad; pinnules cut 
down half-way to the midrib; segments entire, 4in. broad. sori 
pee iat medial. South Brazil, 1883. Stove. See 
ig. 37. 
