828 



Gardening for Amateurs 



obtained at all seasons of the year ; there 

 is very little fear of failure when plants 

 purchased in pots are planted. 



Hardy Ferns in Pots. As a rule, in 

 unheated greenhouses and in those where 

 just sufficient heat is maintained to keep out 

 frost, only exotic or greenhouse ferns are 

 cultivated. Yet once the owner has grown 

 a few of our choice native kinds in pots, he 

 or she will not care to go to the extra 

 trouble needed by greenhouse ferns. As 

 the plants are hardy they may be placed 

 outside when the fronds commence to die 



Male Fern (Nephrodium Filix-mas). 



off In winter, when, as a rule, the amateur's 

 greenhouse is crowded with plants which, 

 though grown outside all the summer, re- 

 quire protection in winter, all hardy ferns 

 may be placed in some sheltered spot out- 

 side, the pots being covered to the rim. 

 During severe frosts, as an additional pro- 

 tection, shake a little light litter over them, 

 unless they are well protected by the old 

 fronds. As a potting soil for the Lady 

 Ferns, the Male Ferns, and the Shield Ferns 

 use a mixture of 3 parts turfy soil to 1 part 

 leaf -mould, adding plenty of coarse sand. 

 In addition to this, for the Hart's Tongue 

 and Polypody, add a little peat. 



Lady Fern (Asplenium (Athyrium) 

 Filix-foemina). There is great variety of 



Lady Ferns in cultivation. The plants vary 

 from a few inches up to 4 feet or even more 

 in height. They are deciduous, and thrive 

 quite well in the ordinary soil of a garden 

 with a fair amount of moisture at the roots. 

 In addition to their great value outside, the 

 choicest sorts are very attractive when 

 grown in pots for the cold greenhouse and 

 frame. Most of the names in the following 

 list indicate a difference in the form of the 

 fronds, some of them being finely crested. 

 A dozen good varieties are : coronatum, 

 corymbiferum, cristatum, cruciato-cristatum, 

 c r u c i a t u m, F i e 1 d i a e, 

 Frizelliae, percristatum, 

 phmiosunij polydactylum, 

 vernoniae - corymbiferum 

 and Victoriae. 



Male Fern (Nephro- 

 dium (Lastrea) Filix- 

 mas). The varieties of the 

 Male Fern are deciduous, 

 and thrive under conditions 

 similar to the Lady Fern. 

 The fronds are diverse in 

 character. Of numerous 

 varieties the following are 

 among the best : Barnesii, 

 cristatum, grandiceps, poly- 

 dactylum, propinquo cris- 

 tatum and gracile, pseudo- 

 mas angustatum cristatum. 

 h'mbriatum, Pinderi, and 

 polydactylum. Allied to 

 these are the Broad Buckler 

 Ferns, varieties of Xephro- 

 dium dilatatum, e.g. crispatum, cristatun"! 

 and grandiceps. 



Soft Shield Fern (Aspidium (Poly- 

 stichum) angulare). There are hundreds 

 of varieties of this beautiful hardy fern in 

 cultivation in our gardens. They are more 

 or less evergreen in character, and are used 

 to some extent in pots for room decoration. 

 Useful and ornamental sorts are cruciato- 

 polydactylum, foliosum, plumosum, poly- 

 dactylum. grandiceps, Pateyii, plumosum. 

 proliferum, and Wollaston's variety. 



Hart's Tongue Fern (Scolopendrium 

 vulgare). One of our commonest wild 

 ferns, and perhaps the most beautiful and 

 interesting of all for the garden and green- 

 house. The rich green leaves are evergreen, 



