FERNS 339 



There are a great number of comparatively rare and beautiful 

 varieties in addition, which rank, however, as prizes to which 

 the more advanced students may aspire, space precluding 

 more than a selection of current "gems" in the trade. 



The Lady Fern (Athyrium filix fcemina). The best crested or 

 tasselled varieties are A. f. f. Victoria, acrocladon, cristatum, Frizellice 

 cristatum (applebyanum), curium cristatum, superbum cristatum, and 

 percristatum, corymbiferum, James ; depauperatum, orbiculatum, gem- 

 matum, and multifurcatum. The best plumose or extra feathery ones : 

 A.f.f. pi. Axminster, Horsfall, divaricatum, plumosum elegans, Parsons ; 

 and any of Mr. Druery's strain of " superbum/' which are the finest of 

 all. Other " gems " of different sections are the dwarf congested forms. 



The Buckler Ferns (Lastreas). The best Male Ferns (L. filix-mas 

 and L. pseudo-mas) are L. p. m. cristata (The King of the Male Ferns) 

 and its narrow form L. p. m. c. angustata, L. p. m. polydactyla, L. f. m. 

 grandiceps, crispa gracilis (dwarf), crispa cristata angustata (dwarf), 

 ramossissima, ramulosissima grandiceps Lowi, revolvens, and Ballandice. 



The Mountain Buckler Fern (L. montana) must be grown in moist 

 loam. It has sported freely ; the best are L. m. cristata, Barnes ; and 

 grandiceps, cristata gracile } Druery ; plumosa, Barnesii, ramo-coronans , 

 Barnes ; and congesta. 



The Broad Buckler Fern (L. dilatata) has given us L. d. cristata, 

 Oscroft ; grandiceps , Barnes ; lepidota and lepidota cristata, and others. 



The Hay-scented Fern (L. amula), a pretty crested form, and L. ce. 

 cristata. 



The Shield Ferns, or Polystichums, being evergreen, are perhaps 

 the most serviceable of all. The beautiful forms of these are innumer- 

 able. We can only indicate a few. 



The Holly Fern (P. Lonchitis). P. L. cristata is very pretty. 

 This can only be grown outside in a moist situation, facing north, and 

 under the shelter of a big piece of rock or burr so treated it does well, 

 but rarely in the open. The type is pretty, and should be tried first. 



The Hard Shield Fern (P. aculeatum). A capital Fern in any of 

 its forms. There are several grandiceps, all good, but the prince of the 

 family is P. ac. pulcherrimum, which under glass has no equal in its 

 own particular line, a perfectly graceful shuttlecock, four feet high and 

 erect, with exquisite finish. 



The Soft Shield Fern (P. angulare). The best are the plumosa and 

 decompositum sections ; P. a. pi. densum, laxum, robustum ; P. a. pi., 

 Wollaston ; cristatum, Wollaston ; grandiceps (several, all good), tripin- 

 natum (several), acutilobum, revolvens, and congestum, represent charming 

 types of which scores of sub-types exist. 



The Hart's-tongue (Scolopendrium vulgare).As already stated, the 

 forms of this number hundreds. We can only indicate all the crispums 

 as fine frilled varieties, the more beautiful being the fimbriated section 

 of Stansfield and Cropper. Tasselled forms vary from a few finger-like 



