CULTIVATION. 



5551 



becomes furnished with beautiful projecting frond?. 

 If a greater height is desired, another cylinder may 

 be added to the first. This mode is equally useful for 

 Stenochlcena, Polylotrya, Loinariopsis, &c. In respect 

 to species in which the rhizomes elongate slowly, the 

 upper part of the cylinder is bare and unsightly for a 

 time. This may be obviated by having a short cylinder 

 and heighten it by adding short lengths when required. 

 The genus Elaplioglossum is generally epiphytal, and 

 as some of its larger growing species, such as E. callce- 

 folium and E. lati folium, being decumbent csespitose 

 in vernation, it is not necessary to have the soil raised 

 much above the rim of the pot, which should be of 

 the flat kind, and three inches depth of soil is quite 

 sufficient. Many smaller species of this genus are 

 most lovely objects, and some of them are not yet in 

 cultivation. Of the whole Fern Family the Platycerium 

 may be considered the most grand, beautiful, and 

 extraordinary; and it is thoroughly typical of this 

 epiphytal group. Its natural position of growth is 

 ' sometimes on moist rocks, but usually on the trunks 

 and larger branches of trees. The spores becoming 

 -lodged there, germinate, and, sending out spongy 

 fibrils, a little plant, like a circular disk, adhering to 

 •the tree, analogous to a foliaceous lichen, is formed, 

 each succeeding di&k (frond) becoming larger and 

 •overlapping the preceding one. In time the older 

 ones loose their vitality, and by this mode of growth 

 envelop, or nearly so, that portion of the tree whereon 

 they grow in a dense, thick, spongy mass, among which 

 the roots insinuate themselves and receive nourishment- 

 As equivalent to this, in cultivation blocks of wood 

 are mostly used ; but they are objectionable from their 



