372 APPENDIX. [No. XXXIV. 



We pass from the pears to the plums, wMcli are secondary ; and from 

 those to the grape-vines, which I have ah-eady told you how to manage ; 

 and I pass from those to the nut-trees, where you must notice .the two 

 blossoms, from one of which the catkins, the male part of the flower, come 

 out eai'ly in January and February. Then a little red flower comes out, 

 and that is the female part of the flower, so that it is divided into two 

 parts, and this is a very interesting thing to observe. The first time in 

 February you have the opportunity, examine that pretty little flower, for 

 very few have ever noticed it. 



The time runs on, and when one gets into a favourite subject one may 

 go on a much longer time than I could speak to you, or you would care 

 to hear me. 



For the flowers and plants I must tell you what I grow. I am a lover 

 of ferns. Fern roots do not like to be soddened in water and do not like to 

 be dry : now you must find the happy medium. They should be never dry, 

 ever moist, and yet neither too dry nor too moist. The best way to manage 

 that is to plant them upon a bank. And what happens ? There is always 

 moisture draining through the earth, and the wet is always running away 

 from the roots, and if you plant them in that way you will have as luxuriant 

 specimens as are to be seen anywhere. Now ferns you know as a rule like 

 a little shade, not too much, however. There are some which will bear the 

 full blaze of the sun. The Osmvmda regalis and the beautiful featheiy 

 fern bear well the light of the sun ; but next in order we come to those 

 delicate ferns which will not bear so much light, and these we must put 

 in another situation. I have never succeeded in growing the fern of 

 Tunbridge "Wells without shelter. It is a most delicate ^fem, and is 

 altogether a most charming plant. But the way I can manage, with most 

 perfect success, is to bury in the ground a little square box, put in the 

 fern, and then put a piece of glass over it : that is sufficient to protect 

 it from the wind and to keep up a continual moisture, and it never 

 gets materially frozen; and so, many of these tender ferns may be grown 

 to perfection. I have grown in this way that wonderful fern which was 

 discovered by Captain Cook in New Zealand, the Todea swperba, so you 

 will see what may be done by a simple protection of glass. Sometimes we 

 adopt other plans : we make a little pocket for the plant by putting two or 

 three stones round it in a little hole, and so it has the advantage of full 

 light and air and yet is protected. There are many exotic ferns, however, 

 which will grow out of doors as well as the English ferns, but we carry 

 their outward growth to a greater extent by housing some of the delicate 

 ones in the vfinter and putting them out of doors in the summer. In this 

 way the large tree-ferns wiU grow, and show their forms remarkably well. 

 In this way many ferns from other parts of the world will grow success- 

 fully. This is what we cannot do altogether out of doors; we have to 

 shelter them in a house, and there, by a judicious an-angement, we can 

 obtain that creation of the poet's idea, perpetual summer. To go into my 

 house in winter when all there is beautiful and green, and then to come 

 out and regard the snow and ice and naked trees, is an eflfect which is as 

 remarkable as it is beautiful. 



I do not altogether neglect the gaudy flowers which ai-e known as 

 florists' flowers, where geraniums are selected as monstrosities and where 

 many other plants are grown in the same way ; but though these are showy 



