FERNERIES. 373 



severest winters, and, for a wild fern, is unusually attractive in appear- 

 ance. The Cystopteris bulbifera grows in the most vigorous manner, 

 and, duriijg the summer, most tropical ferns grow luxuriantly. The 

 Exotic. Fernery is well protected against every cold wind, but the sun 

 is allowed to shine upon the ferns, which ripens the fronds and enables 

 them the better to withstand the winter frosts. In this fernery the 

 Adiantum pedatum is a strikingly beautiful object. 



The fifth fernery, which is connected with the Valley of Ferns and 

 with the Exotic Fernery, I call the Forest of Ferns, for in this place 

 we arrange the tree ferns during the summer months. It is formed by 

 an irregular dilatation of the Central brook, in which stand numerous 

 ' sections of the trunks of large elm-trees, with holes in their, centres, 

 into which the tree ferns are placed during the summer season. The 

 wood protects the roots of the plants from being over-dried, and 

 moreover it conceals the pot in which the plant is grown. This plan 

 of protecting the pot from the effects of the baking sun I learnt from 

 Dr. Hooker at Kew, who places most of his pot plants in the great 

 Palm-house in an outer earthen vessel for the same object. The 

 beauty of a frond of an alsophila, many feet long when grown out of 

 doors, has to be seen to be appreciated. The tree ferns are planted 

 out the last week in May. 



In my five outdoor ferneries I have three distinct classes of ferns 

 firstly, those which remain in the ground the entire year; secondly, 

 those which are bedded out during the summer; thirdly, those 

 which are placed out in their pots and taken back to the green- 

 houses in autumn. A very large proportion of all ferns which are 

 grown would be benefited by exposure to the pure air of heaven 

 during the months of June, July, August, and September. 



At this moment I have nearly every British fern growing out of 

 doors, but I could never succeed in cultivating the Aspleniuni marinuni 

 in that situation. This fern grows wild by the sea-coast as far north as 

 Aberdeen ; nevertheless I have never been able to grow one in any of my 

 outdoor ferneries. It is a remarkable fact that the Adiantum Capillus- 

 Veneris (fig. 862) has never proved to be hardy with me, although I 



