36 THE BOOK OF FERN CULTURE 



with snow, but the cold period is only of short duration, 

 and to succeed with it here it requires greenhouse treat- 

 ment, with atmospheric moisture. This and other tree- 

 ferns may be considerably assisted by binding some fresh 

 sphagnum moss round the stem below the fronds as the 

 stem advances. The use of sphagnum round the 

 pots may also be recommended, and during the growing 

 season the stems should be kept continually moist, but 

 they do not thrive if the roots are in stagnant moisture ; 

 good drainage should be given. Other species are 

 D. fibrosa, D. Lathomi, and D. squarrosa ; the latter has 

 a slender stem and does not make the aerial roots so 

 freely. Alsophila Australis, and A. excelsa make fine speci- 

 mens ; Cyathea dealbata and C. medullaris may also be 

 recommended. Blechnum Braziliense makes a fine plant 

 of intermediate size and is also desirable as a small plant. 

 B. corcovadense differs from the above only in having a 

 beautiful pink tint on the young fronds, and may be 

 regarded as the most desirable of the two. 



Brainea insigne is another of medium growth. I have 

 not seen this more than about three feet in height ; it has 

 fronds of good substance, and, when young, they have a 

 bronzy tint. Lomaria gibba will attain to five or six feet 

 in height, but is prettier either when quite small, or up 

 to the time the stem has reached about two feet in height. 

 Up to the time it has made some stem it will grow freely 

 under ordinary greenhouse treatment, but after the stem 

 lengthens it requires more care. There are several 

 distinct varieties of this fern. Of these platyptera, 

 robusta, and crispa are among the best; there are also 

 some which appear to be hybrids between gibba and 

 ciliata, of these grandis, princeps, and major are the 

 best, though given as varieties of Ciliata they have some 

 of the characteristics of gibba. L. falcata bipinnatifida 

 makes a beautiful plant with feather-like fronds. I 

 have raised this from spores and have had some true 



