August 29, 1888.] 



Garden and Forest. 



317 



more gradually downward, and are wholly naked. 



Another character to lie noted is simple, club- 

 shaped style, bearing a very shortly three-lobed 

 and somewhat cup-shaped stigma. This character 

 it has in common with two other species {E. citri- 

 ■num and E. Huwelld) of the same region, the com- 

 mon eastern E. Americanum, E. proptdlans of Min- 

 nesota, and an unnamed Te.xan species, otherwise 

 much resembling E. iilhidum. All our other species 

 have linear stigmas, including the eastern E. albi- 

 du»i, E. purpurascens and E. Hariivegi of the Sierra 

 Nevada, and a confused group of several imper- 

 fectly known species common in the mountains 

 from Montana and northern Colorado to the Pacific. 

 These camiot be clearly defineil until they ha\T 

 been carefully studieil from living specimens. W 

 are worthy of cultivation. 



E. Hendersoni is a native of the mountains ol 

 south-western Oregon, where it was first collecte 

 in 1887 by Mr. L. F. Henderson, of Portland, an 

 Mr. Thomas Howell, of Arthur, Oregon. S. W. 



Cultural Department. 

 Cultivation of Native Ferns. — I. 



T T is the purpose of this series of papers to consider 

 ■'■ the cultivation of native Ferns which are hardy 

 or nearly so in the region about Boston. 



The Ferns considered, embrace all those found in 

 New England and therefore most of the species 

 found in the Middle-Atlantic and North-eastern 

 States. A few native species not found in New Eng- 

 land are included,, as they are of interest to the h(irti- 

 culturist and are nearly or quite h.ardy. 



The only work on the cultivation of Ferns published 

 in this- country is an instructive little book by Mr. 

 John Robinson, entitled " Ferns in their Homes 

 and Ours " (1878). This book treats of the cultivation 

 of Ferns indoors and out, their propagation, classifi- 

 cation, life-liistory, etc. It contains references to the 

 literature of the subject and lists of Ferns for special 

 purposes. For descriptions and figures of native 

 Ferns the reader is referred to Professor Daniel C. 

 Eaton's magnificent c;[uarto work in two volumes, 

 entitled "The Ferns of North America" (1879-80). 

 Both works are published by S. E. Cassino, Boston.* 



The cultivation of hardy Ferns as a class, has re- 

 ceived very little attention in this countr\'. They are 

 seldom grown at all, and very rarely in the variety 

 and perfection which it is possible to obtain from 

 this beautiful and fascinating group of plants. Some 

 object to Ferns because they are flowerless plants. 

 Most species do depend entirely on their foliage ef- 

 fects for their beauty ; but these are so rich, so 

 delicate, so varied, that Ferns may well be considered 

 most desiral)le plants in a garden. The spring holds 

 forth no greater charnr for the lover of nature than 

 the keen pleasure to be enjoyed from watching the 

 unfolding crozier-like fronds of growing Ferns. Some 

 are strong and woolly, soft to the touch, others are 

 covered with chaffy scales, the charm of which is 

 irresistible, though difficult to describe; some again 

 are smooth, some are green, others reddish-bro\vn. 

 Each kind is characteristic and has its own peculiar 

 grace and beauty in the young as well as in the 

 matured frond. 



To the admirers of Ferns tliere is no need of up- 

 holding their desirable qualities for cultivation, but for the sake 

 of those who are not familiar with them, a few may be men- 

 tioned. Ferns are excellent plants for filling up sliadv, dark 

 and damp spots where other plants would utterly fail. ' Speci- 

 men plants make beautiful foliage effects. Clumps, carpets 



* '* Our Native Ferns and their .MHl-s " is tlif- title of an iiie.xpensive lioolc, with 

 descriptions, but few figures, bv Lucicn M. Underwood, latest edition (1888). Foi 

 New England species, '" Fern Etchir.jjs," by the late John Wdiiamson, is a desira- 

 ble book. It is most beautifully illustrated by etchings executed bv tlie authui". 

 Published in Louisville, Ky. {second edition, 1879), biit now, it is believed, out of 

 print. _ Neither of these works treats of cultivation. There are many works 

 on British and European Ferns. Two small and desirable books ti,» a cultivator 

 are:(i) "British Ferns and their Allies," by Thomas Moore, George Roulledjie & 

 Sons, London and New Vork. (2). " The Fern Garden," by Shirley Hibl'iard. 

 Groombridge & Sons. London, 1870. 



Fig. 50.— Erythronium Hendersoni.— See page 316. 



or individuals, either by themselves or nii.^ed with suitable 

 tfowering plants, especially herbaceous and native species, 

 make most attractive features in a garden. Even the land- 

 scape gardener who seeks for large effects, cannot afford to ig- 

 nore our native Ferns. Massive clumps of Ferns from two to 

 five feet high or more, according to the species grown, may 

 be easily obtained by good cultivation. The value of stlch 

 clumps,' often of truly sub-tropical effect, can hardly be exag- 

 gerated for sucli positions as the border of shrubberies and 

 wooded locations. 



It is popularlv believed that Ferns are difficult to cultivate, 

 requiring very special conditions and treatment. In the main 

 this may be saiil to be entirely incorrect ; a tew kinds, which 



