372 MANUAL OF GARDENING , 



the lateral branches wiU start near the ground and be stiff enough to 

 withstand the winds. In most home gardens the plants are allowed 

 to reach their full height, and are tied to stakes if necessary. The 

 tall kinds reach a height of 5 to 8 ft. 



Dahlias are very susceptible to frost. After the first frost, lift the 

 roots, let them dry in the sun, shake off the dirt, trim off tops and 

 broken parts, and store them in a cellar, as for potatoes. They may be 

 placed in barrels of sand, if the open cellar is not usable. Cannas may 

 be stored in the same place. 



The tree dahlia (D. excelsa, but cultivated as D. arhorea) is grown 

 more or less far South and in California. It has not been much im- 

 proved. 



Ferns. — The native ferns transplant easily to the garden, and they 

 make an attractive addition to the side of a house, or as an admixture 

 in a hardy border. The ostrich, cinnamon, and royal ferns are the 

 best subjects. Give all outdoor ferns a place that is protected from 

 winds, otherwise they will shrivel and perhaps die. Screen them from 

 the hot sun, or give them the shady side of the building. See that the 

 soil is uniformly moist, and that it does not get too hot. Mulch with 

 leafmold in the fall. It is not difficult to colonize many of the native 

 ferns in shady and protected places where trees do not sap all the 

 strength from the ground. 



Probably the one fern grown most extensively as a house-plant is 

 the small-leaved maidenhair fern (or Adiantum gracillimum) . This 

 and other species are among the finest of house plants, when sufficient 

 moisture can be given. They make fine specimens as well as serving 

 the purpose of greenery for cut flowers. Other species often grown for 

 house plants are A. cuneatum and A. CapiUus-Veneris. All these do 

 well in a mixture of fibrous sod, loam, and sand, with ample drainage 

 material. They may be divided if an increase is wanted. 



Another fern for house culture is Nephrolepsis exaltata. This is 

 no doubt the most easily grown of the list, flourishing in a sitting- 

 room. A variety of N. exaltata, called the Boston fern, is a decided 

 addition to this group, having a drooping habit, covering the pot 

 and making a fine stand or bracket plant ; and there are now several 

 other forms of it suitable for the best window-gardens. 



