300 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 20, 1870. 



fourth of learn, and a like proportion of silver sand. Cocoa- 

 nut libra refuse is sometimes employed alone. It answers 

 very well, only some Ferns grow weakly where there is a defi- 

 ciency of siliceous matter. The soil should be pressed rather 

 firm, and when put in ought to be in such a state as regards 

 moisture that it does not clog, and to keep it from doing so it 

 will need to be only moderately moist. 



The planting must be left to the operator ; he or she will 

 place the tallest-growing in the centre, aud the dwarf at the 

 sides. Avoid overcrowding, leaving room for all to grow, and 

 avoid deep planting, merely covering the roots. Water well at 

 plan'.ing, so as to settle the soil about the roots and to make 

 all firm. 



With respect to the after-treatment, the Bhade, of course, 

 must be put on, or the doors closed ; then place the case 

 near a window, but not too close — it ought not to be nearer 

 than from 18 inches to 2 feet — and every morning between 

 eight and nine o'clock look at the case, and if the glass is wet 

 aod drops are likely to run down to the tray, leave the doors 

 open about half an inch for an hour or so, then wipe the glass 

 dry with a towel, taking care not to injure the fronds, and 

 shut the openings. If, however, the fronds are wet with the 

 condensed moisture of the previous night, leave a little opening 

 until the moisture is dissipated, and then close the case. This, 

 however, will seldom be required, as the glass may be wiped 

 dry, and a little air in the early part of the day will be all that 

 is necessary. If there are no doors, then admit a little air, if 

 necessary, by iilting the glass a little. This may seem a tedious 

 process, yet it may be dispensed with, and the plants will still 

 grow tolerably well ; but the growths will perish of that brown- 

 ness that invariably manifests itself in a badly-ventilated struc- 

 ture, and wheie constant moisture from condensation settles and 

 remains on the fronds. I have known instances of cases not 

 being opened, nor even watered, for three months. I mention 

 this not for imitation, but as exhibiting the great endurance 

 of this tribe of plants. So long as the glass is only covered 

 with a sort of dew, which does not run down the sides or fall 

 in drops on the plants, there is no need of air. However, I 

 strongly advise wiping the glass dry at least once a-day. It 

 gives a change of air if it does notLiDg else, and keeps the 

 atmosphere from becoming stagnant. The same object as 

 wiping the glass dry will be effected if the opening be left 

 open sufficiently long, but this would tiry the fronds too much. 

 The case should be closed at night. 



Water should be given as required, so as to keep the soil 

 moist, which it ought always to be, without, however, being 

 very wet. Less water will be required in winter, when the 

 plants are at comparative rest, and the evaporation less than 

 it is in summer, when the plants are growing freely. Every 

 spring the surface soil should be removed as far as can be done 

 without icjury to the roots, and a top-dressing given of the 

 compost I have recommended. The water should be run off 

 after each watering. 



All dead fronds should be picked off as they appear, and a 

 strict look-out kept for inBects. The most troublesome are 

 thrips and scale. The former may be removed with a wet 

 sponge, but for the latter the best remedy is to pick them off 

 with a knife before they become brown and hard. If thrips is 

 very troublesome, it would be well to remove the Fern case to 

 an outbuilding and fill it with tobacco smoke, repeating it two 

 or three times until the insect is extirpated. Green aphis some- 

 times appears. It is best destroyed by fumigaiii.n with tobacco. 



Another point will need attention — that is, the shading of 

 the glass from sun, if it strike upon the case, for a few hours 

 during the hottest part of the day. This object is best effected 

 by a piece of muslin placed on the window side of the glass. 

 From September to April shade will not be necessary. If the 

 Ferns grow all to the side next the window, turn the other side 

 to the light, and ihis ought to be done at least once every week. 

 Of course, if the light be equal from all points, this will not be 

 necessary. 



I purpose to conclude with three lists — one of hardy Ferns, 

 suitable for rooms without fires, landings, or other cold situa- 

 tions ; one of greenhouse Ferns, or those which may be grown 

 in rooms from which frost is always excluded ; and one of 

 stove Ferns, or those suitable for a room never lower in tem- 

 perature than 50°. 



For a Cold Room. — Asplenium Trichomanes, A. Trichomanea 

 multifidum, A. Adianturn-nigrum, Blechnum Spicant and its 

 varieties ramosum and cristatum, Laetrta Filix-mas crispa, 

 L. Filix-mas Schofieldii, Polypodium vulgare, and vars. crista- 

 tum, bifidum, omnilacerura, and cambricum ; Scolopendrium 



vulgare, and vars. polyschides, ramosum, subcornutum, multi- 

 forme, proliferum, and fcecundum, and Lomaria alpina. The 

 above are all evergreen, and lack the grace and elegant fronds 

 of some of the deciduous kinds, which I mu3t not omit: — 

 Athyrium Filix-foemiua depauperatum, Cystopteris fragilis and 

 var. interrupta, with C. Dickieana, are very pretty. 



For a Room with Fire. — * Adiantum capillus- Veneris, *Acro- 

 phorus hispidus, Anemidiotyon Phyllilidis, Adiantum a?thiopi- 

 cum, A. setulosum, *Asplenium flabellifolium, A. monanthe- 

 mum, Blechnum cognatum (australe), Davallia canariensis, 

 D. decora, Goniophlebiumloriceum, Lastrea acuminata, L. gla- 

 bella, Lomaria Patersoni, *Niphobolus lingua, »N. pertusus, 

 Nephrolepis tuberosa, N. pectinata, Onychium japonicum, Pla- 

 tyloma rotundifolia, *Pleopeltis stigmatica, P. pustulata, Poly- 

 stichum triangulum, Pteris serrulata cristata, Woodwardia 

 candata, and W. aspera. Of Lycopods or Selaginellas, denti- 

 cnlata, unoinata, densa, obtusa, and Willdenovi. 



For a Warm Room. — Anemia adiantifolia, Adiantum cunea- 

 tum, A. formosum, Asplenium dimorphum, A. mexicanum, 

 Campyloneuron angustifolium, *C. caaspitosum, Diplazium 

 radicans, Davallia elegans, *Goniophlebium vaeciniifolium, 

 *G. piloselloides, G. laetum, Goniopteris gracilis, Htmionitis 

 cordifolia, *Pleopeltis lycopodioides, P. terminalis, and Pteris 

 crenata. Of Selagiuellas, afiicana, jamaicensis, umbrosa, fla- 

 bellata, and dichrous. 



Those marked with an asterisk are very suitable for sus- 

 pended baskets in the Fern case, and for covering rockwork. 



The neatest baskets are, perhaps, the half of a cocoa-nut 

 shell suspended by neat brass chains. Eockwork may be in- 

 dulged in in a Fern case, and I have seen some very pretty 

 devices of that sort ; waterfalls, dropping wells, and even a 

 fountain having a pretty effect when done in moderation. It 

 is possible to overdo them even in a Fern case. — G. Abbey. 



GROUND LEVELLING AND PRACTICAL 

 GARDEN PLOTTING.— No. 1. 



Theke are a number of works on the designing of flower 

 gardens in circulation at the present time, expounding both 

 the theory and practice of the art, many of them admirable in 

 themselves, but it has never been the good fortune of the writer 

 of these notes to meet with one which literally " begins at the 

 beginning." They either assume that the reader is already ac- 

 quainted with the theory and practice of geometrical problems, 

 or they are expressed in such elaborate language that the un- 

 lettered thousand can scarcely comprehend them. My object is 

 to supply ihis deficiency. The subject is not here treated as a 

 mathematical one, but as one of a purely practical character. I 

 have avoided technical temis as much as possible, endeavour- 

 ing by simple language to make myself clearly understood by 

 those for whom this is written. I know from personal ex- 

 perience as well as observation, it is the opinion of many young 

 men that it is necessary to have mastered the whole of the 

 problems of geometry previously to attempting to draw a plan 

 to suit a certain piece of ground, and that to transfer to the 

 ground an intricate design already executed on paper is a task 

 almost as difficult. To be a practical gardener it is not neces- 

 Bary to be a garden artist. Nevertheless, in this progressive 

 age, when education is daily becoming more general, it is 

 essential that every man, be his profession what it may, should 

 understand the rudiments of the theory of that profession. It 

 is at least necessary that every gardener who wishes to attain a 

 good position in his profession should be able to design a plan 

 upon paper to suit such ground as he may have under his care, 

 and also to transfer that design to the ground. 



It is not my intention to discuBS the merits or demerits of 

 the diffeient styles of flower gardening, but it is obvious that 

 before commencing the laying out of a piece of ground, the gar- 

 dener musthave some dt- finite design, geometrical or otherwise. 



My notes being elementary iu character, and chiefly designed 

 aa an exercise for young men whose only time for improve- 

 ment is after their day's work is accomplished, it will be found 

 that only a few geometrical problems are introduced, being such 

 as are absolutely necessary for the formation of more intricate 

 designs. These, however, will be soon overcome after a few 

 hours' careful study ; but two things are necessary — care and 

 perseveiance. The pupil must be careful in referring to or 

 copying the designs, to observe accurately the numbeiing and 

 lettering of the figures, and he is advised not to be satisfied with 

 mere copying, but from the first to practise the drawing of 

 designs other than those here given, however impeifect his first 



