Subtropical Gardening. 59 



scarcely so effective as the preceding; and Y. angustifolia has 

 narrow pointed leaves and a distinct habit. Y. Treculeana is a very 

 noble species, vs^hich will be found perfectly hardy on good soil and 

 in warm situations. It has deeply furrowed and very large rigid 

 leaves, and is well worthy of culture even in a cool house, in which 

 it is sometimes kept in this country. If we had but this family 

 alone, our efforts to produce an agreeable effect with hardy plants 

 need not be fruitless. The freely flowering kinds, filamentosa and 

 ilaccida, may be associated with any of our nobler autumn flower- 

 ing plants, from the Gladiolus to the great Statice latifolia — the 

 species that do not flower so often, like recurva and gloriosa, are 

 simply magnificent as regards their effect when grown in the full 

 sun and planted in good soil ; and I need not say bold and hand- 

 some groups may be formed from devoting isolated beds to this 

 family alone. They are mostly easy to increase by division of the 

 stem and rhizome ; and should in all cases be planted well and 

 singly, beginning with healthy young plants, so as to secure a per- 

 fectly developed single-stemmed specimen. 



Hardy Fern-like Plants for the Flower Garden. 



However much we may appreciate the grace of ferns in the 

 conservatory or plant-house, we have yet but very rarely employed 

 them in the flower garden, and there are obstacles which are likely 

 to prevent their use in such ; but it has often struck me that we 

 may amongst herbaceous plants find many things that afford all 

 the grace of a fern, and yet withstand the sun as well as a stone- 

 crop. I have frequently drawn attention to several good things 

 in this way, and particularly to- Thalictrum minus, which, while 

 o;rowing freely in ordinary soil in the full sun, and being per- 

 fectly hardy and permanent, will afford us a beauty almost 

 .identical with that of Adiantum cuneatum, and which may be 

 made the nicest use of by the flower gardener. In consequence 

 ■of recommending it so strongly through various channels, there 

 liave been many demands for the plant. It is to be had in abun- 



