Notes and News 
A FERN CATALOGUE WHICH IS FERN LITERATURE. 
A dealer’s catalogue which contains names of nearly 
two thousand species and varieties of ferns with very 
many illustrations, and which sells for two shillings is 
really worth a place in a botanical library. H. B. May 
& Sons, The Nurseries, Upper Edmonton, England, issue 
such a catalogue. Although it is primarily of interest 
from the point of view of private fern growers such as 
are common in England, there are some points of value 
for American fern students. 
Ferns are classified from a horticultural standpoint 
in three groups: ‘‘stove” ferns, which require winter 
temperature of from 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit; 
“greenhouse” ferns which need from 45 to 55 degrees 
in winter; and hardy ferns which can stand winter cold 
out of doors. 
In the list of hardy ferns are included several hundred 
Species and varieties. Of course, not all that are hardy 
in England would be hardy in all parts of the United 
States, but any one here interested in growing hardy 
species could add a considerable number to his list. 
The list of hardy forms includes as might be expected 
numerous varieities of common species. For example, 
there are 139 varieties of lady fern, and 109 of hart’s- 
tongue, besides numerous forms of male fern, et al. 
Not all the hardy forms are varieties, however. One 
finds here American forms which the names do not 
readily identify, as “Aspidium uliginosum,” “ Lastraea 
marginalis robusta,” “ Athyrium Michauzii.” It may in- 
terest readers to know that Osmunda regalis, the Euro- 
pean, and OQ. spectabilis, the American form, are kept 
separate; similarly Struthiopteris germanica and S. penn- 
sylvanica, and the American and European forms of the 
Dryopteris spin roup. 
yop spinulosa group ac B. 
55 
