i64 FERN GROWING 



planted with more stone than soil, and stones should surround 

 them ; the latter may be found growing amongst heaps of stones 

 without any soil. 



Cystopteris fragilis and its varieties grow well in soil if 

 there is plenty of limestone. 



The Woodsias and Gymnogramme Leptophylla must be 

 grown in a cool greenhouse under hand-lights. 



Cystopteris montana, which is abundant amongst grass on 

 ledges of rock on Ben Lawers, is very easily cultivated in pans 

 in a greenhouse ; it soon makes a good specimen. 



Polypodium Dryopteris and P. Phegopteris succeed well if 

 planted in leaf soil on a surface of cool clay. In a shady green- 

 house Adiantum CapiUus- Veneris must be treated as a green- 

 house plant ; it does not flourish out of doors, but planted in 

 pans of about twelve inches in diameter, and with half the 

 compost consisting of old cow manure, magnificent specimens 

 can be obtained. 



Throughout the winter and in early spring the deciduous 

 Ferns are frondless, and even the evergreen ones have scarcely 

 any fronds that are not disfigured ; but at this period a British 

 Fernery may be made attractive by planting the different narcissi 

 between the Ferns, and having a margin of crocus and snowdrop. 

 If the Ferns are three feet apart, and the centre eight or nine 

 inches between each Fern is planted with a dozen bulbs of any 

 kind of narcissus, an interesting collection of narcissi may 

 make the Fernery gay in spring ; and before the fronds of 

 the Ferns have come to maturity the leaves of these bulbs will 

 have disappeared, and therefore they will not cause any detri- 

 ment to the Fernery. 



The love of flowers is universal, it is to be seen in every 

 country, and it was so hundreds of years ago ; and there is a 

 pleasing reference to narcissi attributed to Mohammed, who is 

 stated to have said, " If any one has two loaves of bread, let 

 him sell one and buy narcissi." 



