278 THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



are natives of North America. Foremost among the strong-growing 

 hardy exotic kinds, there are the handsome North American Osmunda 

 cinnamomea, and O. Claytoniana, O. gracilis, a very pretty species of 

 particularly slender habit ; the Sensitive Fern (Onoclea), Dicksonia 

 punctiloba, the beautiful Canadian Maiden-hair, the American Ostrich 

 Feather Fern, Lastrea Goldiana, Woodwardia virginica, all of North 

 American origin and attaining between 2 feet and 3 feet in height. 

 Among the smaller ferns are Aspidium nevadense, novaboracense 

 and thelypteroides, Asplenium angustifolium, Athyrium Michauxi 

 and Woodwardia angustifolia, all of which grow from 18 inches to 24 

 inches. Allosorus acrostichoides, the handsome Polypodium hexa- 

 gonopterum, Woodsia obtusa, oregana and scopulina, and also two 

 pretty Selaginellas, viz., oregana and Douglasi. All these are of 

 small dimensions, varying as they do from 6 in. to 12 in. in height. 

 The pretty Hypolepis anthriscifolia of South Africa ; the robust 

 Lastrea atrata, from India ; the Japanese Lastrea decurrens, the 

 massive Struthiopteris orientalis, also a native of Japan, and the 

 pretty Davallia Mariesi are all equal in hardiness to any of our British 

 deciduous Ferns. 



EVERGREEN HARDY FERNS. Some of the evergreen Ferns, 

 whether British or exotic, which stand the severity of our climate, are 

 as hardy as those which lose their leaves in winter, and no Fern could 

 be hardier than the various small-growing Aspleniums, which grow in 

 old walls exposed to severe frosts, such as the black-stemmed Spleen- 

 wort (several), and its pretty crested and notched forms, the little 

 Wall Rue or Rue Fern, the forked and other native Spleenworts. All 

 these are small, seldom exceeding 8 in. in height, while the 

 black Maiden-hair Spleenwort Blechnum and its several beautiful 

 forms usually average from 9 in. to 1 2 in. in height. Polypodium 

 also contains some handsome evergreen plants ; even the common 

 Polypody is a fine plant in its way, and is seen at its best when 

 growing on a wall, on the branches of a tree, or on the roof of a low 

 house. But by far the handsomest of its numerous forms are the 

 Welsh Polypody, the Irish and the Cornish, and its handsome, finely- 

 cut varieties in which the fronds are of a light and feathery nature. 

 Then there are the more or less heavily crested forms, all of larger 

 dimensions than the species from which they are issue. The common 

 Hart's-tongue, also perfectly hardy, supplies us with many forms 

 giving fine effect and free growth. 



As regards strong-growing evergreen hardy Ferns, however, none 

 can compare with the Prickly Shield Fern and the soft Prickly Shield 

 Fern and its beautiful varieties which produce massive fronds 18 ins. 

 to 24 ins. long. Then there is an extensive section of varieties in 



