LOPHODIUM F(ENISECn. 143 



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A most desirable fern, both for the garden and the green- 

 house. It grows readily in the ordinary mixture of loam, peat, 

 and sand, requires abundant watering, and enjoys shade. In 

 the garden it should, if practicable, be placed on a rockery com- 

 posed of sandstone : in a greenhouse it is the very best of our 

 British species ; its beautiful colom*, elegant habit, truly ever- 

 green character, and perfect hardiness, render it of unequalled 

 value as a house fern. As it is a remarkably neat and compact 

 plant, and never addicted to coarse or rambling growth, a num- 

 ber of roots may be planted together, and produce a very pleas- 

 ing effect. Having first obtained a seed-pan of the largest size, 

 cover the bottom with Sphagnum and charcoal, the latter m 

 lumps as large as a hazel nut : then fill the pan to its rim with 

 the compost, and having pressed this down, saturate with water : 

 then having previously provided twenty or thirty small plants 

 of the fern, and as many moderately-sized pieces of sandstone, 

 build a conical pile above the soil already in the pan, intermix- 

 ing stones and ferns, and filling the interstices firmly with the 

 compost. 



The figures below represent the involucres of three species 

 of Lophodium : a, spinosum ; b, multiflorum ; c, fcenisecii. 



