486 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 458. 



and A. Noveboracense, to which it is most closely allied, 

 we find the following essential points of difference and 

 agreement between them : 



First. The root-stocks of all three species are similar in char- 

 acter, being long, cord-like rhizomes, wide-creeping and fork- 

 ing, with these differences : that in Aspidium Thelypteris the 

 rhizoma is black, or nearly black ; it branches more freely, 

 and the stipes are farther apart than in either ot the other two 

 species. In A. Noveboracense the rhizoma is brown in color, 

 and the stipes are closer together along the lengths than in 

 A. Thelypteris, and form caespitose crowns at the growing ends. 

 In A. simulatum the rhizoma is light brown in color, with the 

 stipes still more approximate, and forming more frequent and 

 more compact crowns than in A. Noveboracense. The bases 

 of the stipes are persistent in all three species, remaining 

 attached to the rhizoma over from one season to another, or 

 until they wholly wither away. 



Second. In Aspidium simulatum the stipes correspond in pro- 

 portion to those of A. Thelypteris, being usually about one-half 

 the length of the entire frond, whereas in A. Noveboracense 

 the stipes are very short, on account of the lower pinnae being 

 gradually reduced in length downward along the stipe toward 

 its base where they become mere auricles, a character which 

 prevents any comparison between it and the others; but if 

 there is any material difference between the stipes of A. The- 

 lypteris and A. simulatum it is in the lighter color and greater 

 flexibility of the latter, a character which gives to A. simula- 

 tum when growing more of the habit of A. Noveboracense. 



Third. A noticeable character in the fronds of living plants 

 of Aspidium simulatum is the peculiar standing forward of the 

 lowermost pinna?, justas is seen in Phegopteris polypodioides. 

 In pressed specimens these show as if deflexed. The same 

 thing occurs frequently in fertile fronds of A. Thelypteris, but 

 in A. simulatum it is seen in both tertile and sterile fronds. 

 The same is true also of the woodland form of Asplenium 

 Filix-fcemina, to which I have already alluded as being similar 

 in outline to A. simulatum. 



In summing up the superficial characters of Aspidium 

 simulatum, we find that it may be readily distinguished from 

 A. Noveboracense by its longer stipe, introrse lower pinnas, 

 and often by the conduplicate pinnas of the fertile fronds — the 

 fronds themselves being more or less pubescent, the margins 

 ciliately so ; and from A. Thelypteris by its simple veins, larger 

 sori, glandular indusia and less convolute margins ot the 

 fertile pinnas. This species develops later in the spring and 

 continues green longer in the fall than either of the others. 



Mr. Faxon's drawing (see p. 485) well illustrates the 

 different characters to which I have here called attention, 

 but for more specific details see Botanical Gazette for De- 

 cember, 1894. 



The species was first collected at Poplar Bluff, in south- 

 eastern Missouri, by George W. Letterman, as long ago as 

 August 15th, 1875, but was confused with Aspidium The- 

 lypteris, and a specimen which 1 have seen from that 

 collection is now in the herbarium of the Shaw Botanic 

 Garden in St. Louis. About 1880 Mr. Dodge collected it 

 in Seabrook, New Hampshire, and subsequently in Essex 

 County, Massachusetts, in several places up to 1892, when 

 he submitted it to Professor Eaton and myself for determi- 

 nation. In September, 1889, Judge J. R. Churchill collected 

 it in Purgatory Swamp, Dedham, Massachusetts, a speci- 

 men from his collection being at that time referred to 

 A. Thelypteris by myself. 



In August, 1893, and again in June, 1894, I found it 

 abundant on Indian Point, Georgetown, Maine, and in 1S95 

 Merritt L. Fernald also collected it in Georgetown. In 

 September, 1893, Mr. Dodge and myself made collections 

 of it on the Salisbury marshes, and in Small Pox Woods, 

 Salisbury, Massachusetts, and September 3d, 1894, I found 

 it quite abundant in a deep swamp in Quincy, Massachu- 

 setts. It has also been collected at West Roxbury, Massa- 

 chusetts, by Mrs. M. L. Stevens, Miss Stiles and Mrs. P. D. 

 Richards ; in Needham, Massachusetts, by Mr. T. Otis 

 Fuller; in Walpole, Massachusetts, by Mr. H. A. Purdie 

 and Judge Churchill, and it apparently was mixed with 

 Aspidium Thelypteris in a collection made in Stoneham, 

 Massachusetts, by E. H. Hitchings, (he specimens being 

 now in the Hitchings collection bequeathed to the Appa- 

 lachian Club. Mr. C. E. Waters, of Johns Hopkins Uni- 

 versity, found it abundant at Sawmill Pond, Ann Arundel 



County, Maryland, October 1st, 1894, and September 24th, 

 1894, Mr. B. F. Bush collected it for A. Thelypteris at 

 Sapulpa, Indian Territory, one specimen being now in the 

 herbarium at St. Louis, and one in my own possession. 



It will thus be seen that the species has already estab- 

 lished for itself a wide range, and that it is apparently a 

 very common American Fern, but whether strictly so or 

 not remains to be seen. It might be well, however, for 

 European botanists to search for it in the haunts of Aspidium 

 Thelypteris or among their herbarium specimens of the 

 latter. 

 Medfurd, Mass. George E. Davenport. 



Cultural Department. 



Greenhouse Notes. 



A FTER the Chrysanthemum feast there is apt to be some- 

 -^ _i - thing of a famine in the way of flowers for cutting pur- 

 poses, and it requires much forethought to avoid this. It has 

 been for several years our practice to have the first crop of 

 Carnations come in at this particular time, and with this end in 

 view the plants are topped in the field later than is generally 

 advised. The last flower-stems are taken off the second week 

 in August, so that at lifting-time in September there is not a 

 flower-stem visible, and the full crop comes on soon after the 

 plants are established in the house. While it is a large crop, 

 it is not more than the plants can perfect easily. When plants 

 are lifted with flower-buds in quantity, the check incident to 

 transplanting frequently makes the task too great for the plants, 

 and if the flowers do develop it leaves the plants in an unfit 

 condition to produce another crop until late in winter. If the 

 first flowers are now picked there will be no scarcity of them 

 through the rest of the winter. For early use all the largest 

 and most advanced plants from specially early propagation are 

 allowed to develop their buds, and are placed in deep frames 

 in July, and these give an abundance of good Carnations for 

 early use, and may be now placed indoors to take place on 

 some of the Chrysanthemum benches. 



Poinsettias are useful from this time on until after the new 

 year. If a number are grown it is possible to have a good 

 display at Thanksgiving-time by placing the earliest in a warm 

 house soon after the plants are brought indoors. We have not 

 failed to have them at this time for several seasons. Few 

 plants give such rich coloring now, when bright flowers and 

 foliage are scarce, as well-grown Poinsettias. To keep the 

 foliage in good condition, a temperature of not less than sixty 

 degrees must be maintained, with a liberal amount of stimu- 

 lant in the water. When cut, the ends of the stems must be im- 

 mediately placed in boiling water for a second or two. This 

 will stop the loss of sap, and consequent wilting when used 

 for decorating. 



Roman Hyacinths are useful now, and maybe had with little 

 trouble if good bulbs are obtained. There has been a marked 

 deterioration in the quality the last year or two, for some un- 

 explained reason, but it the bulbs are smaller they admit of 

 being planted closer, and the effect is about the same in the 

 end. It is best to bring them on in a cool house- until the 

 flower-buds are visible, otherwise there will be green leaves 

 and very few blossoms. Lachenalias blend prettily with 

 Roman Hyacinths, and are also easily managed. L. pendula 

 is the best for this purpose, as it is the most vigorous in habit, 

 the earliest to bloom and one of the brightest in colors, though 

 there are a set of new ones that bid fair to surpass this old kind 

 both in vigor and coloring. Lachenalias must not be neglected 

 after blooming, for the treatment they receive then goes to 

 make the bulb for the following year, and a light position on 

 a shelf in a cool house is easily secured for them. They are 

 Cape bulbs, and need the same treatment as Freesias. 



From various experiments it seems that this is the best time 

 to sow Cyclamen seed. A good strain of seeds should be 

 bought and sown in pans of very porous soil as soon as possi- 

 ble. It is some time before the growth is visible above ground, 

 and care must be taken to add plenty of some porous mate- 

 rial to prevent the soil from becoming sour and inert. We 

 break up a soft brick fine and use the small sittings. It is the 

 best substitute for charcoal. Water must be given sparingly 

 for a week or two or many of the seeds decay before germi- 

 nating. Once germinated and the returning increase of sun- 

 light of the new year is upon them, it will be found that there 

 will be no check as when sown in September, and the plants 

 will be much larger than if sown at the beginning of the year. 

 Good strong seedling Cyclamens are in most instances prefera- 

 ble to old bulbs kept over, though it must be admitted that if 



