Davallia 



(282 ) 



Davallia 



addition in the case of basket plants. Tenuifolia 

 must have all peat and sand, no loam. 



Other Cultural Points. Davallias are thirsty 

 Ferns, and must never be allowed to get dry. At 

 the same time, they are impatient of cold, water- 

 logged soil about their roots, and therefore small 

 pots are advisable. For those species which have 

 prominent, creeping rhizomes, such as fijiensis, 



DAVALLIA CAXARIF.N-SIS. 



bullata, and canariensis, shallow pans are the best 

 receptacles, as they afford the greatest amount of 

 surface room, with not too much useless soil. 

 Hirta, and its variety cristata, do best in pots, as 

 they are stronger rooters. Drainage must in all 

 cates be ample. 



Davallias in Baskets. Many Davallias are 

 suitable for culture in baskets, and assamica, 

 bullata. b. Mariesii,b. M. cristata, canariensis, hirta 

 cristata, immersa, marginalis, retusa, and parvula 

 may be mentioned. Such baskets should, if 

 possible, be dipped in the tank every day in 

 summer. Heterophylla atid angustata do well if 

 grown upon tree trunks. No soil is necessary. 



Fern Balls. Davallia bullata Mariesii is largely 

 imported from Japan, in the shape of Fern balls, 

 rafts, and more or less perfect representations 

 of birds, crocodiles, etc. It is a deciduous species. 

 and lends itself well to this treatment. The 

 rhizomes are allowed to dry until they can be 

 bent without breaking, and then they are built 

 into the desired shapes, with sphagnum as pack- 

 ing. The rhizomes start into growth readily 

 with heat and moisture, and pretty decorative 

 objects are thus obtained with little trouble. 

 An occasional dip into weak liquid cow manure 

 is beneficial. 



Temperatures and Insects. Temperature for the 

 stove species, 60 minimum ; from 65 to 70 is a 

 good minimum summer temperature. Canariensis 

 will do in a house whose temperature does not fall 

 below 40 ; it also thrives in an ordinary dwelling- 

 room window. Thrips and snowy fly are the most 

 troublesome insects, but the sponge and the 

 vaporiser will keep them at bay. Fumigations 

 should be light, and may, if necessary, be frequent. 



Principal Species and Varieties : 



affiuis, 1' to 2', st. 

 canariensis, Hare's Foot 



Feru, 1' to H', rhizomes 



creeping, grh. 

 dissecta, 1' to 1^', st. 

 elegaus, 1' to 2', st.; elata 



and polydactyla are 



vars. 

 fijiensis, 1' to IV, st. 



elegaus, very finely cut, 

 light gru. 



major, a robust grower. 



pluuiosa, 1' to 2', finely 

 cut, very elegant. 



hirta, 3' to 5', st. (*//;. 



'scaberula aud Micro- 



lepia hirta). 

 - cristata, IV to 3', st.. 



tasselled (si/n. Micro- 



lepia hirta cristata), an 



elegant basket Fern, 

 [allida, 2' to 3', st. (syii. 



mooreann). 

 pentaphrlla, st. (sy. 



pycnocarpa). 



plaiyphylla, 3' to 4'. grh. 



(xi/n. lonchitidea). 

 repeus.8" to 18", st.(*//s. 



hemiptera and Odonto- 



loma repens). 

 solida, 1' to 2', st. (>//>/. 



lucida). The form 



ornata has broader 



segments. 



Speluucae, 3' to f>', light 

 ., very thin, st. 

 WA-. D. polypodioides, 

 triohost'icha, aud 



Microlepia tricho- 



sticha). 

 teunifolin, 1' to IV, st. 



Burkei, stricta, ami 



Veitchii are handsome 



vars. 

 Tyermamii, 2" to \" , 



warm grh., good for 



cutting, 

 trichomauoides, 6" to 9", 



st. 



DAVALLIA CILIATA (see p. 2SS). 



