178 CULTURE OF FOREIGN FERNS. 



ARTICLE III. 



ON THE CULTURE OF SOME SPECIES OF FOREIGN FERNS IN 

 THE OPEN AIR IN THIS COUNTRY.— By J. R. 



In my letter to you of the 2nd of June, 1835, on the cultivation of 

 Foreign Ferns, I mention that I was ahout to try several species out 

 of doors, intending them to remain during the winter. 



I now acquaint you with the result. — On the side of a well shel- 

 tered hank, I dug away the earth to the depth of from twenty inches 

 to two feet — on the hottom I laid loose broken stone about six inches 

 thick, and filled up again with soil composed of light heath mould 

 and bog earth in equal quantities. The plants being taken imme- 

 diately from the stove to the open air, did not appear to do well, the 

 foliage mostly dying down ; but the roots flourished in the soil, run- 

 ning amongst the broken stones, and late in the autumn throwing up 

 fine healthy shoots. 



In the middle of November, I covered over the bed with fallen 

 leaves, and slightly shaded it with spruce fir boughs. In April this 

 year I uncovered the soil, and found several of the Ferns then 

 making their appearance, and the foliage of a few of them had not 

 died off. The following is a list, both of such as are now doing well, 

 and of those which were killed by the cold. Considering the long 

 and severe winter, it is surprising more did not suffer. 



The following are now in full growth : — 



Woodsia perenniana. 



Struthiopteris germaniea. 



pensylvanica. 



Aspidium Marginale. 



achrostichoides. 



bulbiferum. 



Asplenium deneum. 



Pteris serrulata, (rather weakly.) 



longifolia. 



Polypodium elatum. 

 Aspidium aemulum. (so named to me, 

 but I am in doubt of the correctness, 

 Asmunda interrupta. 

 Aspidium auriculatum. |Polypodium pectinatum. 



If these remarks are worthy your acceptance for the Floricultural 

 Cabinet, I shall be very glad to communicate any further results of 

 my trials, as I have now placed out .above twenty other species, 

 hitherto deemed stove plants, and have no doubt of succeeding with 

 many of them. If I recollect rightly, Mr. Ashford promised some 

 remarks on British Ferns, I hope he will not forget them. 



June 6th, 1836. 



We shall esteem it a great favour to have a continuance of Mr. R's 

 remarks, at his convenience. — Editor. 



Corvelea sensibilis. 

 obtusiloba. 



Woodwardia radicans. 

 Cystoa atomarreum. 

 Aoliantum podatum. 

 Dicksonia pilosiuscula. 

 Cesmuuda Cinnamouea. 



THE FOLLOWING DIED. 



Aspidium molle, (one plant is just alive, 

 but very weakly) 

 patens. 



Blechnum C'orcdvadense. 

 braziliense. 



