1861.] REVIEWS. 283 



A Priced and partially Descrijjtive Catalogue of Stove, Green- 

 house, and Hardy Exotic and British Ferns, Selaginellas, and 

 Lycopods, offered for sale by Abraham Stansfield andSouSj 

 Todmorden. Decern bei% 1860. 



The varieties of Ferns are steadily increasing ; the supply is 

 stimulated by the demand ; for this commercial maxim is of 

 universal application. We reviewed Mr. Sim's Fern Catalogue 

 several months ago, not without some wonderment at the num- 

 bers of new forms; and again we have to admit as our belief, 

 that curiosities in vegetation will never cease. The varieties, the 

 named varieties alone, of the common Lady-Fern, amount in the 

 Catalogue before us to upwards of two score. The different 

 forms of BlecJmum Spicant are now 24. Such of our readers 

 as want to know something more definitely about these plants 

 will send for the Catalogue. This brief notice is printed to call 

 their attention to the fact that there is in the north of England 

 an extensive establishment for the cultivation, keeping, and sale 

 of a stock of these charming plants, of which the worthy owners 

 may be justly proud. 



It may also be stated that the named varieties of Scolopeti- 

 drium vulgare are above 60. The prices of these not expensive 

 novelties of cultivation, as some of them may perhaps be justly 

 called, vary from a shilling to ten and sixpence. Few indeed — 

 from three to half-a-dozen — reach the last-entered quotation ; 

 while fewer still reach the somewhat formidable figure of twenty- 

 one shillings. The buyers can hardly grumble at the prices. 



The number of British Ferns in this List, with their varieties 

 all named and priced, is 304 (including the Lycopods) . 



The hardy exotic Ferns, with their varieties, are above 40. 

 The prices of these vary from one shilling to seven and sixpence. 



The greenhouse and stove exotic Ferns, number upwards of 

 320, and the prices vary from one shilling to thirty shillings. 



Since the above was written, a second edition of this interest- 

 ing Catalogue has been sent by Messrs. Stansfield, and in this 

 amended reprint, several of the typographical errors have been 

 corrected. We should feel obliged to our respected contributors 

 to tell us if Cystopteris virens be a species or a variety ; in either 

 case a specimen would be acceptable. Again, it may be asked if 

 lonchititoides is not a misprint of lonchitidoides ; see p. 8. 



