THE FLORISTS MANUAL. 



13 



Adiantum Mondulum. 



ties neat, is well applied in this case, 

 the plant being of dwarf and com 

 pact habit, and is better adapted for 

 small ferneries than as an exhibition 

 plant. 



The fronds of A. cuneatum mundulum 

 are shorter and rather stiffer than those 

 of the parent form, not often more than 

 nine or ten inches long, very dark green, 

 and closely furnished with narrow, 

 wedge-shaped pinnae. In general out 

 line the fronds are deltoid, and when 

 well matured they possess sufficient sub 

 stance to be useful in cut flower work, 

 where a small frond is required. 



A. cuneatum mundulum comes true 

 from spores, and also germinates freely, 

 the spores being produced abundantly 

 on old plants, and it flourishes under 

 the same treatment as A. cuneatum, thus 

 being by no means difficult to manage. 



Nicely grown plants in 3-inch pots 

 are very short and bushy, and may be 

 used to advantage where A. cuneatum 

 proves too tall, and if the plants are 

 not soft when used, will possibly last a 

 little longer than the last named fern, 

 under the same conditions. 



A. cuneatum muudulum is of garden 

 origin, and although in cultivation since 

 1879, is not frequently met with in the 

 trade, in fact, seems scarcer now than 

 it was ten years ago, no doubt owing to 

 the greater demand for ferns of more 

 endurance than is found among the 

 maidenhairs in general. 



A. TETRAPHYLLUM. Among the 

 less common species of maidenhair 

 ferns, Adiantum tetraphyllum is deserv 

 ing of special mention, and some idea 

 of its general outline may be had 

 from the illustration which accompanies 

 this note. But, unfortunately, an 

 ordinary photograph fails to show us 

 the fine distinctions of coloring that 

 present themselves in the living plant, 

 and in consequence we are compelled 

 to fall back upon cold type for our 

 descriptions. 



The plant in question has been found 

 in fern collections for many years past, 

 and has produced an occasional varia 

 tion in form from time to time, though 

 it is not a notably prolific species, per 

 haps the best of these variations from 

 the type being that known as A. tetra 

 phyllum gracile, in which the pinnae are 

 rather narrower than those of the orig 

 inal species and the young fronds show 

 a higher coloring than is found on the 

 type. 



A. tetraphyllum may be classed as 



a moderate grower, the fronds reaching 

 a height of twelve to fifteen inches, and 

 are usually four times divided, or rather 

 divided into four segments. While un 

 folding the young fronds are frequently 

 bright pink, this color gradually fading 

 as the frond develops, until the mature 

 leaf becomes dark green. 



This species prefers warm house treat 

 ment, is evergreen, and grows best in 

 a rather loose and open compost. It 

 requires plenty of water at the root, 

 but during the winter especially should 

 not be watered overhead frequently, or 

 the fronds are liable to become rusty. 

 Snails seem to have a special liking for 

 the young foliage of A. tetraphyllum, 

 and close watching is required to get 

 the best of these pests. 



A. WIEGANDII. A few years since 

 a much greater variety of ferns seemed 

 to be grown for florists use than is 

 now found among the large trade 

 growers. It is evidently a case of the 

 survival of the fittest, or rather of the 

 species and varieties that may be pro 

 duced in large quantities with a mini 

 mum expenditure of time and labor. 

 Adiantum Wiegandii is one of those 

 varieties that have almost disappeared 

 within a few years, though it is not a 

 particularly tender fern, or one that is 

 difficult to reproduce. 



We mention it as a variety rather 

 than a species, because it seems prob 

 able that this fern is a form of Adian 

 tum Capillus-Veneris, or else a cross 

 between that species and A. cuneatum, 

 its origin being somewhat obscure. 

 But be this as it may, the fern in ques 

 tion is a very attractive plant of dwarf 

 and sturdy growth, the fronds being 

 almost upright, having black stems and 



Adiantum Macrophyllum. 



