Filmy Ferns in Cases and under Bell-glasses. 133 



and strikingly handsome appearance ; the fronds are 

 elegantly divided and of a yellowish-green colour. 



H. fuciforme, a native of the island of Juan 

 Fernandez, of Robinson Crusoe celebrity. It has 

 beautiful pale bluish-green fronds, and is considered 

 the finest of the genus. 



Of the Trichomanes, the only British species is 

 Trichomanes radicans, which we noticed in a former 

 chapter. Both it and its variety, T. Andrewsii, are 

 excellent ferns for the Warrington case. Among others 

 we have T. scandens, a grand climbing fern, excellent 

 for covering a piece of rockwork. It has large elegant 

 yellowish-green fronds. 



T. reniforme, a very distinct species of great beauty, 

 with large kidney-shaped entire fronds. 



T. venosum, an extremely beautiful fern for a case. 



But the loveliest of all Ferns, the beauties of which 

 surpass the power of pen or pencil to portray, is the 

 Todea superba. Nothing can surpass the extreme 

 beauty and sumptuous appearance of this Fern. No 

 fern-grower should be without it. I consider it as the 

 highest point of honour in fern cultivation to have the 

 credit of possessing a well-grown plant of this Queen 

 of Ferns in a case. Next to it stands Todea Hymeno- 

 phylloides, commonly known as Todea pellucida, a New 

 Zealand Filmy Fern of great beauty, and nearly hardy 

 enough to stand outside during a very mild winter. It 

 is a recognised favourite vnth all fern-growers, and very 

 distinct from any other kind of Fern. 



Todea Barharea is also a very desirable Fern, free- 

 growing and of easy culture. 



