OUR NATIVE PLANTS. 163 



ample white flowers. Only Y. jilamentosa with its y axmiy fiaccida 

 is hardy, it is therefore more valuable than the species Whipplei, 

 angastifolia, rupicola, brevifoUa, Schottii, baccata, carialiculata, 

 aloifoUa, gloriosa, and recurva; all of which require to be taken 

 under glass in the winter. 



Hesperaloe yucccefolium is a beautiful plant ; it has long leaves 

 covered with filaments, and the spike is from two to three feet 

 long, bearing man}' red, drooping flowers not unlike those of an 

 Aloe. Leaving this class we pass to the 



Ferns. — Although this class represents only flowerless plants, 

 yet on account of their delicate foliage they are as valuable to the 

 cultivator as any plants with showy flowers. They grow naturally 

 in shaded and moist woods ; a few grow in marshes, while a few 

 occur in dry soil fully exposed to the sun. As a rule all like to 

 grow between stones and several kinds grow onl}' upon rocks. 



The transplanting of these plants should be done in the spring, 

 before they start to grow. The soil should consist of equal parts 

 of loam, leaf-mould, and peat, with a liberal addition of sand. 

 The ground should be well drained and set with stones as recom- 

 mended for alpine plants. The propagating of the majority of 

 ferns can be accomplished by dividing the plants in the earl}' spring. 

 They are also propagated from spores, which should be sown in 

 pans filled with soil, or upon rough stones or bricks, and kept in a 

 moist place until the}' grow to small plants. But this is only done 

 with the rare kinds, or when a great quantity of a kind is required. 

 In describing the best of the some one hundred and twenty five 

 species, I will arrange them according to their hardiness. First 

 we have those that are perfectly hardy, and thus adapted to fill 

 vacant spaces in shady parts of the garden. 



Osmunda regalis, 0. Claytoniana, and 0. Cinnamomea are 

 amongst the best of the large kinds. 



Struthiopteris Germanica is a beautiful fern with large and 

 graceful fronds from three to four feet long. 



Lygodium palmatum is a pretty climbing species having stalks 

 over two feet long with small palmate fronds. 



'The Aspidiums are quite numerous ; the best deciduous species 

 are Goldianum, Fdix-mas, cristatum, and spinulosum ; while 

 acrosticJioides, Lonchitis, and marginale are beautiful evergreen 

 species. 



Onoclea sensibilis although common js worth cultivating. 



